Mumbai: Millions of football fans in India can now enjoy live telecasts of the FIFA World Cup starting June 11 in the USA, Mexico, and Canada after Zee Group secured the rights deal with FIFA.
Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. has launched four dedicated sports channels - Unite8 Sports 1, Unite8 Sports 1 HD, Unite8 Sports 2, and Unite8 Sports 2 HD - and its existing OTT platform Zee5 to broadcast the 48-team tournament's matches.
The rights deal includes the 2026 and 2030 World Cups, as well as 37 other FIFA events up to 2034.
After JioStar dropped out, raising doubts over the World Cup's telecast in India, Zee Group's tie-up with FIFA comes as a significant step in its return to sports broadcasting.
With 75% of the matches in the 2026 World Cup being beamed late into the night in India, broadcasters were reportedly hesitant to pay big bucks due to uncertainty over advertisement revenue.
Zee's CEO, Punit Goenka, expressed excitement about bringing the world's biggest sporting spectacle to Indian audiences, citing football's potential for long-term growth.
FIFA's Chief Business Officer, Romy Gai, praised Zee's extensive broadcast and digital distribution ecosystem, saying it will play a pivotal role in expanding football's reach across India.
