Despite India never playing in the FIFA World Cup, the spectacle has always taken centre stage among football fans. But 2026 carries a different writing on the wall. | Photo Credit: AFP

The FIFA World Cup, nearly a century since its inception, has remained the crown jewel of international men’s football.

Despite India never playing in the tournament, the spectacle has always taken centre stage among football fans. But 2026 carries a different writing on the wall.

The quadrennial carnival does not have a broadcaster. No TV channel, no streaming company has put its foot forward to take it up. Why is that so?

“Football viewership in India has been on the decline for some time now. If you look at the Premier League, its valuation has fallen from $145 million in 2013-14 to $60 million in the latest deal,” an industry expert tells  Sportstar.

Sony Sports acquired the commercial rights for the FIFA World Cup 2014, 2018, and Euro 2016 for around $90 million in 2013, which would be almost double the value today, adjusted for inflation.

Eight years later, Reliance picked up the 2022 World Cup rights for $60 million.

FIFA had offered rights for the next two World Cups as a package to the Indian market for $100 million last year. However, a lack of interest saw the global football body reconsider the valuation to $35 million.

Even then, interest did not emerge, exposing the broken economics of World Cup broadcasting in this part of the world.

“In India, the picture appears more nuanced than a simple lack of takers. Broadcasters are likely weighing a combination of structural and commercial considerations,” says Rohit Potphode, Managing Partner - Sports, Gaming, eSports & Live Experiences, Dentsu India.

Dentsu is the commercial partner for the FIFA World Cup 2026 in Japan, which was also among the top viewers of the tournament in 2022.

“Japan is significantly different from India in terms of audience appetite, advertisers, and overall media ecosystem.”

“One significant factor is match timing; fixtures scheduled at late-night or early-morning hours for Indian audiences can materially impact viewership peaks, which in turn affects advertising inventory and revenue potential. Even marquee events can struggle to deliver optimal returns when they fall outside prime viewing windows,” he adds.

The FIFA World Cup 2026 is being played in the United States of America, Canada and Mexico, placing most matches outside prime Indian viewing hours.

Of the 104 games in the World Cup this time, only 14 begin before midnight. In comparison, Qatar 2022 had 44 of its 64 matches before midnight, while Russia 2018 had 63.

Profitability the only priority

“The business scenario in sports in India has shifted primarily to profitability,” a source from one of the broadcasters says.

“Subscription is a limited option in this country, despite the appetite being there. In the West, football is mostly behind paywalls. You cannot do that in India.”

Sky Sports charges a subscription fee of about £22 per month to show the Premier League in the UK, while FOX Sports, the World Cup broadcaster in the US, sells its FOX One + ESPN Bundle for $40 per month.

The FIFA World Cup 2022 was streamed on JioCinema and Sports18HD, with the former offering it for free and the latter charging Rs. 12 for the channel.

The result: India saw one of the steepest individual market drops, losing 87 million linear viewers in four years. The audience moved to digital, which was free, not away from football. Meanwhile, JioStar reportedly lost millions with the free-to-air service.

In general, though, football viewership in the country has declined. The Indian Super League, the top flight of men’s football, has seen its broadcast rights valuation fall by 97 per cent in the last year.

World Cup football has followed the same trend: The 2022 edition had every match worth Rs. 6.94 crore. Four years later, that value has fallen to Rs. 1.56 crore per match — a 77.5 per cent drop.

“The lack of advertising opportunities in football is another issue. While commercial partners can have ad slots after every over or dismissal in cricket, or maybe every set in tennis, in football, it’s largely restricted to pre-match, half-time and full-time, with limited additional breaks,” another individual from an Indian broadcaster says.

Potphode adds further insight. “The advertising market remains highly value-conscious, with brands increasingly seeking measurable and consistent returns across both television and digital platforms.

“With a crowded sports calendar and the continued rise of on-demand consumption, rights holders and broadcasters may be taking a more calibrated approach, evaluating not just scale, but the quality and timing of audience engagement.”

Will there be a solution?

FIFA is expected to hold negotiations with leading Indian broadcasters — JioStar, FanCode, Sony Sports and ZEE Entertainment — in search of a last-ditch solution. It is unlikely for DAZN to enter the conversation, while Netflix and YouTube have chosen not to comment.

If all options fail, the World Cup could return to Doordarshan, India’s public broadcaster, after 28 years. Under the Sports Broadcasting Signals (Mandatory Sharing with Prasar Bharati) Act, sporting events of national importance must be shared with the broadcaster.

That could offer a lifeline, with marquee matches — likely the knockouts and the final — broadcast on Doordarshan irrespective of the primary rights holder.

Prasar Bharati, Doordarshan’s parent company, had made a profit of Rs. 3.5 crore from the 1998 rights. A return to public broadcasting could yet make the World Cup viable again in India.

Published on Apr 22, 2026

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