According to a May 4 report by Reuters, the 2026 FIFA World Cup is set to kick off on June 11—just five weeks from now—yet negotiations over broadcasting rights with China and India are still ongoing. As the two most populous countries in the world, talks regarding these rights remain in the negotiation phase.
Disagreements Emerge in India Negotiations
In the Indian market, significant differences have emerged in negotiations between the Infosys-Disney joint venture and FIFA. The joint venture bid US$20 million for the broadcast rights to the 2026 and 2030 FIFA World Cups, which is lower than FIFA's expected price of around US$60 million. According to sources familiar with the matter, Sony also participated in the negotiations but ultimately did not submit a bid.
Industry analysts predict that local viewership will decline because the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be held in North America, with most matches taking place after midnight Indian Standard Time. Additionally, soccer's commercial value in India is significantly lower than that of cricket, and global economic volatility is also affecting advertising revenue projections.
China Market Negotiations Proceed in Confidentiality
According to an official statement from FIFA, negotiations regarding the sale of broadcast rights for the Chinese and Indian markets are currently underway and must remain confidential at this stage. It is worth noting that China's performance during the 2022 FIFA World Cup was remarkable—viewing hours on digital and social media platforms accounted for 49.8% of the global total, far surpassing those of other countries.
According to industry analysts, given China's massive fan base and a history of successful collaborations, the likelihood of reaching a final agreement is high. FIFA has already signed agreements with broadcasters in more than 175 regions worldwide. Compared to the usual timeline, negotiations between China and India have fallen behind schedule—by convention, broadcast rights are typically finalized about 14 months before the tournament begins to allow for infrastructure development and the sale of advertising space.
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