ZEEL takes FIFA World Cup 2026 beyond screens with nationwide public viewing push
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As media companies search for new ways to monetise premium sports rights and deepen audience engagement, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. (ZEEL) is taking the FIFA World Cup 2026 beyond the television screen and into public spaces across India.
The company has rolled out a nationwide public viewing strategy for the tournament, issuing screening rights to regional partners and tying up with cinema chains to create a broader live-event ecosystem around one of the world’s largest sporting properties.
The initiative reflects a wider shift underway in sports broadcasting, where value increasingly lies not only in who owns the rights but also in how those rights are distributed across formats, venues and consumer experiences.
As part of the programme, ZEEL has granted public viewing rights to partners including Novex Communications, Eagles FC Kerala, Zion Bridge and What’s up Goa. These entities will work with venues and establishments to enable authorised screenings of FIFA World Cup 2026 matches across the country.
At the same time, ZEEL has partnered with multiplex operators PVR INOX and Cinepolis to bring select matches to cinema screens, opening up a premium viewing avenue for football fans seeking a communal experience.
The screenings are expected to extend across a broad network of venues including cinemas, pubs, restaurants, clubs, hotels, airports and educational institutions.
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The move comes at a time when live sports continues to remain among the few categories capable of generating real-time mass audience engagement in an increasingly fragmented entertainment market. Broadcasters globally have been experimenting with alternate distribution models to create additional revenue opportunities through sponsorships, venue partnerships and event-led experiences.
For ZEEL, the World Cup presents an opportunity to strengthen its live entertainment ambitions while capitalising on football’s growing popularity in India.
Speaking on the initiative, Gareth Eswin Thomas, Business Head – Zee Live, ZEEL, said the company’s objective is to make the tournament accessible to audiences across geographies and formats.
“FIFA World Cup 2026 is one of the most celebrated sporting spectacles globally, and our endeavour is to make the tournament accessible to as many fans as possible across India,” Thomas said.
He added that shared viewing experiences are becoming increasingly valuable in today’s attention economy and that live sports remains one of the few formats capable of bringing large audiences together simultaneously.
“From cinemas and hospitality venues to clubs, educational institutions and public spaces, we are building an ecosystem that extends the FIFA World Cup experience beyond the home and brings fans closer to the action,” he said.
The strategy underlines a broader ambition: transforming a broadcast event into a scalable consumer entertainment platform. If executed successfully, ZEEL’s public viewing push could become a template for how global sporting events are experienced in India—through communities, venues and shared moments rather than individual screens alone.