Zee adds Lenovo, Adidas, JLR to FIFA World Cup 2026 advertiser roster as knockout stage lifts brand interest
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As the FIFA World Cup 2026 heads into its high-stakes knockout stage, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. (ZEEL) is witnessing a fresh wave of advertiser interest, underscoring the growing appeal of live sports as a premium advertising property.
The broadcaster on Friday said brands including Lenovo, Ceat, Jaguar Land Rover, Adidas, Zydus and JBL have come on board as advertisers for the tournament, joining an existing roster led by Mahindra as co-presenting sponsor and Diageo as co-powered-by sponsor. Apple and Pernod Ricard are also among the brands associated with the event.
The latest additions come as the tournament moves into the Round of 32, a phase that typically attracts higher viewer engagement and increased marketing spends from brands looking to capitalise on appointment viewing.
What is driving advertiser interest in the FIFA World Cup?
Zee said the FIFA World Cup has already delivered an omni-platform reach of more than 300 million unique viewers, with brands leveraging the company's television and digital ecosystem to reach audiences through live matches, studio shows, highlights, expert analysis and multilingual programming.
The company added that streaming platform Zee5 has handled millions of concurrent viewers during live matches, while sports channel Unite8 Sports 2 has emerged as the leading English sports channel in India during the tournament. The integrated television-and-digital strategy has enabled advertisers to execute customised campaigns across multiple consumer touchpoints rather than relying on a single medium.
"The response has been encouraging, with several new brands coming on board and continued interest from advertisers looking to leverage the excitement around the knockout stages," said Sandeep Mehrotra, chief operating officer – advertisement revenue, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd.
Zee said it continues to receive interest from additional brands evaluating partnerships for the Round of 32, Round of 16 and the later stages of the competition, with audience engagement expected to strengthen as the tournament progresses.
For broadcasters, marquee sporting events such as the FIFA World Cup remain among the few content formats capable of delivering real-time, mass audiences across television and digital platforms simultaneously. As advertisers increasingly seek measurable, cross-platform campaigns, live sports continue to command a premium, with broadcasters packaging integrated advertising solutions that combine scale, engagement and targeted brand visibility.