Zee Entertainment Enterprises (Z) has bagged the broadcasting rights for the FIFA World Cup in India. The partnership will be running until 2034.

The tournament kicks off on 11 June 2026 across Unite8 sports channels and Zee5. 

Other tournaments under the deal include the Men's and Female World Cup, U-17 Men's and Women's World Cup, U-20 Men's and Women's World Cup, Futsal World Cups, and FIFA Intercontinental Cup. The deal also includes the FIFA Club World Cup.

Punit Goenka, CEO, Zee Entertainment Enterprises, “We are excited to bring one of the world’s biggest sporting spectacles to Indian audiences. Football cuts across regions and demographics, and the investments in garnering the media rights and launching dedicated sports channels, reflect our clear belief in its long-term potential. Our approach has been to invest in properties where we see current relevance and future growth potential. Our partnership with FIFA will enable us to unlock the true value of the sport in line with our sharp focus on growth and profitability, while amplifying the excitement of the game for every fan.”

Romy Gai, chief business officer, FIFA, said,  “The FIFA World Cup is the greatest show on earth, and we are glad to partner with ‘Z’ for the first time, to bring this global spectacle to India. The Indian market is of strategic importance for FIFA as it displays immense potential driven by a young and passionate audience. We believe the extensive broadcast and digital distribution ecosystem of ‘Z’ coupled with their deep understanding of local viewers and multi-platform capabilities will play a pivotal role in expanding the reach of football with fans across every part of India.”

Mukund Galgali, deputy CEO and chief financial officer, Zee Entertainment Enterprises, added, "The partnership with FIFA marks a significant step in our journey to create a strong foundation in the sports ecosystem to drive long-term value creation. Football as a sport has tremendous under-leveraged potential in a country like India and we see a massive opportunity in unlocking its mass appeal for billions of viewers across the nation. Our approach in the sports business is anchored in building a scalable and financially sustainable growth model through a disciplined capital allocation framework. We view sports as a powerful catalyst to unlock long-term economic and social value by translating the growing passion for sports to contribute meaningfully towards the nation’s aspirations.”

Sandeep Mehrotra, chief operating officer, advertisement revenue, Zee Entertainment Enterprises, added, "As we strengthen our presence in the sports ecosystem, we are equally focused on building a high-value advertising environment that delivers scale and depth of engagement. Our diversified sports and entertainment portfolio provides brands an opportunity to tap into varied consumer cohorts and leverage the full spectrum of live sporting moments and meaningful content formats. With our structured efforts, we are unlocking a new monetisation avenue, while participating in the larger growth story of sports in India.”