Football finds a bigger home in India as FIFA World Cup powers Zee 5 growth

India's football audience may be larger than conventional industry wisdom suggested. The FIFA World Cup 2026 has emerged as the country's most watched OTT property for the week of July 13 to July 19, according to Ormax StreamView rankings, giving Zee 5 its biggest live sports success to date and pointing to the growing commercial potential of football streaming in India. 

The tournament attracted an estimated 15 million viewers during the week, with one of the biggest surprises coming from viewing behaviour itself. Nearly 40% of peak concurrent viewership came from matches played between midnight and 4 a.m., suggesting Indian audiences were willing to stay awake despite inconvenient kick off timings to follow the tournament. 

The strong viewership also translated into meaningful gains for Zee 5's platform. Between June 1 and July 19, watch time on the streaming service increased 79%, while daily app installs and new subscriptions rose 55%, highlighting how premium live sports can drive both audience acquisition and engagement. 

It's a win for Zee 5.

Zee Entertainment has secured FIFA media rights in India through 2034, giving the platform long term access to the world's biggest football tournaments. The company has also expanded its broader content slate across seven languages through partnerships with leading studios as it seeks to combine premium entertainment with live sports to drive subscriber growth. 

Beyond traditional football markets

The data also points to football expanding beyond its traditional fan base in India. According to Zee 5, Tier 2 cities accounted for more than 45% of total watch time, while connected televisions contributed 53% of match viewing, indicating a growing preference for watching live sports on larger screens. English remained the dominant language, but strong consumption in Hindi, Malayalam and Bengali reflected increasing demand for multilingual sports coverage. West Bengal led viewership, followed by Maharashtra, Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Delhi. 

The tournament's impact extended beyond live matches. More than two thirds of subscribers who signed up for FIFA content also watched movies on the platform, while half went on to consume original series, demonstrating how marquee sporting events can encourage users to explore broader entertainment offerings. 

Bavesh Janavlekar, chief business officer, Unite8 Sports, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd., said the company had long believed India already had a passionate football community.

"Long before we acquired the FIFA rights, we knew India was home to one of the world's most passionate football communities. Whether it is fans staying up through the night to follow their favourite clubs, or India emerging as FIFA's second largest Instagram audience globally with over 10% of its worldwide following, the passion for the sport has always existed," he said. 

Janavlekar said the partnership with FIFA was aimed at making the tournament more accessible across television and digital platforms through multiple language feeds tailored for Indian audiences.

"The response to the FIFA World Cup 2026 has validated that belief. It has shown that football in India is no longer a niche interest, but a growing mainstream phenomenon that brings together fans, creators, brands and communities," he added.

The company said it will continue investing in football properties, including the Bundesliga, alongside other sporting events such as ILT Season 5 and Tamil Nadu Kabaddi, as it looks to strengthen its sports portfolio.