Zee bets beyond cricket for future growth

LESS THAN TWO WEEKS before the 2026 FIFA World Cup kick-off at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, a big media story was unfolding thousands of miles away. India, one of the world’s largest consumer markets, did not have a confirmed broadcaster for football’s biggest spectacle. For previous editions, rights had typically been closed well in advance, allowing broadcasters to build programming, advertising inventory, and consumer anticipation months before the kick-off.

At the centre of the deadlock was a disagreement over economics. FIFA initially sought close to $100 million for combined India rights across the 2026 and 2030 world cups before subsequently lowering its ask to around $60 million, nearly what Viacom18 paid for the previous cycle. JioStar, the Reliance-Disney joint venture that holds IPL and Premier League rights in India, reportedly placed a final offer of around $15-20 million before withdrawing from discussions. Sony, too, explored its options before eventually stepping back.