Zee to earmark 15% of football streaming revenue for grassroots talent push, targets India’s FIFA World Cup participation by 2034

Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. (ZEEL) has unveiled an ambitious plan to reinvest 15% of the football-related subscription revenue generated on its streaming platform Zee5 into grassroots football development, as the media major seeks to build a long-term talent pipeline capable of taking India to the FIFA World Cup stage by 2034.

The initiative, which links viewer engagement directly to sports development funding, comes as Zee deepens its commitment to football following its long-term partnership with FIFA. The company said revenues earned from football content, including future FIFA World Cup tournaments, will be partly channelled towards talent scouting, coaching infrastructure and competitive league structures across the country.

Building a football ecosystem from the ground up

The broadcaster plans to deploy the funds towards structured training programmes and scalable football leagues spanning city, district, state and national levels. The initiative will focus on identifying young talent from across India and providing pathways for professional development.

As part of the programme, Zee said it will collaborate with global football federations, national sporting bodies and state-level associations to strengthen grassroots participation and create a more sustainable football ecosystem. The company also intends to onboard renowned football professionals and domain experts to guide talent development efforts.

The move reflects a growing trend among sports broadcasters and streaming platforms to extend their role beyond content distribution and become active stakeholders in sports development. By tying a portion of subscription revenue to grassroots investment, Zee is effectively creating a fan-funded model for football development.

FIFA partnership forms cornerstone of strategy

The company believes its FIFA association through 2034 provides a long runway to drive awareness, participation and talent creation in a sport that continues to enjoy a large but largely untapped fan base in India.

“India has a large, untapped reserve of football talent that harbors immense potential to compete at a global stage,” said Punit Goenka, Chief Executive Officer, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. “Through this initiative, we are enabling our football viewers to invest in the dreams of countless young Indians who aspire to play the beautiful game at a global stage.”

Zee said its long-term objective is to create an inclusive football ecosystem capable of producing globally competitive men’s and women’s teams across age groups. The company ultimately aims to help position India as a credible footballing nation and facilitate participation in FIFA World Cup competitions by 2034.

For Zee, the initiative also represents an attempt to convert sports consumption into measurable social impact, aligning subscriber growth with the development of one of India’s most underfunded but widely followed sports.