India Offers NT$632 Million for World Cup Broadcasting Rights, FIFA Rejects as Too Low
India attempted to acquire the broadcasting rights for the 2026 World Cup for US$20 million (approximately NT$632 million), but FIFA deemed the offer too low and rejected it. This situation might mean that Indian fans will be unable to watch the World Cup.
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- 📰 Published: May 5, 2026 at 16:25
- 🔍 Collected: May 5, 2026 at 17:01 (36 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 5, 2026 at 17:04 (3 min after Collected)
Central News Agency
(Central News Agency reporter Li Chin-Wei, New Delhi, 5th) India intended to broadcast the 2026 FIFA World Cup but hoped to secure the broadcasting rights for US$20 million (approximately NT$632 million). The offer was rejected by the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) as being too low, meaning fans might miss out on watching this World Cup broadcast.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, is set to kick off on June 11th. Reliance Group, in cooperation with Disney, proposed an offer of US$20 million, hoping to broadcast this quadrennial football extravaganza.
Reliance and Disney's offer was rejected because FIFA considered the figure far below expectations. Additionally, Sony had originally intended to bid for the broadcasting rights but eventually withdrew due to the high cost.
The stalemate in World Cup broadcasting rights negotiations in India means that fans in the world's most populous country might not be able to watch the World Cup broadcast.
India Today pointed out that besides India, China, the world's second-most populous country, is also hesitant about broadcasting the World Cup. FIFA stated that during the 2022 World Cup, 49.8% of Chinese fans watched matches on digital and social platforms.
In a statement issued to Reuters, FIFA mentioned that broadcasting agreements have been finalized in over 175 locations worldwide. "Discussions regarding the broadcasting of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in China and India are still ongoing and must remain confidential at this stage."
In the previous 2022 World Cup, Chinese and Indian fans accounted for 17.7% and 2.9% respectively of global cable TV viewers. On streaming platforms, a total of 22.6% came from these two countries.
The 2026 World Cup will ignite on June 11th, leaving only a short 5 weeks to finalize broadcasting rights, arrange broadcasts, and sell advertisements.
For the last World Cup, a company under Reliance secured the broadcasting rights for approximately US$60 million (approximately NT$1.897 billion).
Reliance and Disney believe that since the 2026 World Cup will be held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, most matches will be broadcast after midnight in India, potentially leading to lower viewership. Therefore, they are unwilling to offer a high price for broadcasting rights. (Edited by Tang Sheng-Yang) 1150505
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(Central News Agency reporter Li Chin-Wei, New Delhi, 5th) India intended to broadcast the 2026 FIFA World Cup but hoped to secure the broadcasting rights for US$20 million (approximately NT$632 million). The offer was rejected by the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) as being too low, meaning fans might miss out on watching this World Cup broadcast.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, is set to kick off on June 11th. Reliance Group, in cooperation with Disney, proposed an offer of US$20 million, hoping to broadcast this quadrennial football extravaganza.
Reliance and Disney's offer was rejected because FIFA considered the figure far below expectations. Additionally, Sony had originally intended to bid for the broadcasting rights but eventually withdrew due to the high cost.
The stalemate in World Cup broadcasting rights negotiations in India means that fans in the world's most populous country might not be able to watch the World Cup broadcast.
India Today pointed out that besides India, China, the world's second-most populous country, is also hesitant about broadcasting the World Cup. FIFA stated that during the 2022 World Cup, 49.8% of Chinese fans watched matches on digital and social platforms.
In a statement issued to Reuters, FIFA mentioned that broadcasting agreements have been finalized in over 175 locations worldwide. "Discussions regarding the broadcasting of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in China and India are still ongoing and must remain confidential at this stage."
In the previous 2022 World Cup, Chinese and Indian fans accounted for 17.7% and 2.9% respectively of global cable TV viewers. On streaming platforms, a total of 22.6% came from these two countries.
The 2026 World Cup will ignite on June 11th, leaving only a short 5 weeks to finalize broadcasting rights, arrange broadcasts, and sell advertisements.
For the last World Cup, a company under Reliance secured the broadcasting rights for approximately US$60 million (approximately NT$1.897 billion).
Reliance and Disney believe that since the 2026 World Cup will be held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, most matches will be broadcast after midnight in India, potentially leading to lower viewership. Therefore, they are unwilling to offer a high price for broadcasting rights. (Edited by Tang Sheng-Yang) 1150505
Choose to stand with the facts; every sponsorship you provide is a force for protecting press freedom.
Download the Central News Agency "First-Hand News" APP to stay updated with the latest news.
The text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, publicly transmitted, or utilized without authorization.