India: FIFA World Cup 2026 on Z
June 2, 2026
By Nik Roseveare
FIFA has announced a deal with Z to broadcast and distribute an array of FIFA football tournaments in India from 2026 to 2034, including the FIFA World Cup 2026 (kicking off on June 11th), the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027 and the FIFA World Cup 2030.
Under the partnership, Z will deliver coverage of 39 FIFA events across this period, spanning men’s, women’s and youth competitions. These include the FIFA U-17 World Cup, the FIFA U-20 World Cup, the FIFA Women’s U-17 World Cup, the FIFA Women’s U-20 World Cup, FIFA Futsal World Cups, and the FIFA Intercontinental Cup, alongside the flagship FIFA World Cup tournaments. The agreement also covers documentary content linked to these competitions.
The partnership will see matches and related programming distributed across Z’s linear television channels (UNITE8 Sports) and digital platform (Zee 5), with multi-language coverage.
“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,” commented FIFA’s Chief Business Officer, Romy Gai. “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.”
“We are excited to bring one of the world’s biggest sporting spectacles to Indian audiences,” added Punit Goenka, CEO, Zee Entertainment Enterprises. “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.”
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