FIFA World Cup 2026 kicks off June 11: Reliance-Disney bid rejected; Who will broadcast it now?

The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off on June 11. India, one of the world's fastest-growing football markets, still does not have a broadcaster. With weeks to go before the biggest sporting event on the planet begins, Indian fans have no confirmed TV partner, no streaming platform and no promos telling them where to tune in.

This almost never happens. FIFA has already locked in broadcast deals across more than 175 territories. India, alongside China, is one of the last major markets still unresolved, an unusual situation that points to a standoff rather than a simple delay.

How the deal fell apart

The breakdown comes down to a valuation gap that neither side has been willing to close.

FIFA initially sought around $100 million for the India rights package before significantly reducing its asking price. Even then, broadcasters were not convinced. The Reliance-Disney joint venture, widely expected to land the deal, reportedly offered around $20 million. For FIFA, that was too low. For broadcasters, going substantially higher did not make commercial sense.

The reasons are structural. Most matches will be played between 12:30 AM and 7:00 AM IST, a slot that hammers viewership numbers and, by extension, advertising revenue. In a market still overwhelmingly dominated by cricket, paying heavily for football rights remains a calculated risk with uncertain returns. The numbers simply did not add up.

Who could still broadcast it?

No deal is signed, but options remain on the table:

Reliance-Disney (JioStar) remains the frontrunner despite the rejected bid. A late agreement is still possible if both sides find a middle ground on valuation, and late deals in sports rights are not unusual.

Prasar Bharati (Doordarshan) is the safety net. Under mandatory sharing rules, the public broadcaster could step in for marquee matches, semi-finals and the final, even if a commercial deal is not reached.

Sony Sports Network and ZEE have been in discussions at some level, but neither has shown strong intent, given the high costs and uncertain returns.

FIFA+, the governing body's own streaming platform, could become the fallback if no traditional broadcaster commits.

YouTube is the wildcard. FIFA has previously enabled streaming partnerships on the platform, and select matches could land there if all other options fail.