Bibhash Lodh, BS News Agency: With the World Cup just about 10 days away, Indian football enthusiasts have finally found relief. As the tournament drew near, there had been a complete lack of information regarding where the World Cup would be broadcast in India. Concerns were mounting day by day as to whether Indian viewers would be able to watch the tournament at all. Now, viewers have finally been liberated from that anxiety. Today, Monday, June 1st, Zee Entertainment announced that it will broadcast the 2026 FIFA World Cup. It had previously been rumored that this company was leading the race to secure the broadcasting rights. Now, however, Zee has officially confirmed the news through a post on the social media platform X. They stated that they will broadcast not only the upcoming World Cup but a total of 39 international tournaments—including the 2027 and 2031 Women's World Cups, and the 2030 and 2034 Men's World Cups. Zee further announced that they will air the World Cup across four dedicated channels: Unit8 Sports 1, Unit8 Sports 1 HD, Unit8 Sports 2, and Unit8 Sports 2 HD. Additionally, the World Cup matches will also be available for streaming on the Zee5 app. According to sources, Zee Entertainment has signed an eight-year agreement with FIFA worth $30 million—approximately ₹330 crore in Indian currency. No other company was willing to offer such a substantial sum. Another contender had agreed to pay a maximum of $20 million—roughly ₹220 crore—an offer that FIFA declined. However, the sport's global governing body ultimately agreed to negotiate terms specifically for the benefit of Indian viewers. The World Cup is scheduled to run from June 11th to July 19th. The tournament will be hosted jointly by three nations: the United States, Canada, and Mexico. This marks the first time that 48 nations will be participating in the World Cup. Ultimately, Indian viewers can now breathe a sigh of relief.
