Zee nets FIFA World Cup rights for India

The Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. (Zee) has announced a new partnership agreement with FIFA, which will see Zee become the home for FIFA events in India, starting from the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026 and will cover other World Cup editions like the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027, FIFA World Cup 2030 and other key FIFA events until 2034. FIFA and Zee will also work together on docu-series content for the India market as part of the agreement with the partnership covering events such as the FIFA Men’s U-17 World Cup (2026-2034), FIFA Women’s U-17 World Cup (2026-2034), FIFA U-20 Men’s World Cup (2027, 2029, 2031 and 2033), FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup (2026, 2028, 2030, 2032 and 2034), FIFA Futsal Men’s World Cup (2028 and 2032), FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup (2029 and 2033), FIFA Women’s World Cup (2027) and FIFA Intercontinental Cup (2026-2030), in addition to the FIFA World Cup 2026 and FIFA World Cup 2030.

Zee also has launched a couple of dedicated sports channels such as the Unite8 Sports 1, Unite8 Sports 1 HD, Unite8 Sports 2, and Unite8 Sports 2 HD to give Indian football fans the best viewing experiences in languages of their choice through Zee’s integrated TV and digital ecosystem.

Romy Gai, Chief Business Officer, FIFA, commented,

“The FIFA World Cup is the greatest show on earth, and we are glad to partner with ‘Z’ for the first time, to bring this global spectacle to India. The Indian market is of strategic importance for FIFA as it displays immense potential driven by a young and passionate audience. We believe the extensive broadcast and digital distribution ecosystem of ‘Z’ coupled with their deep understanding of

local viewers and multi-platform capabilities will play a pivotal role in expanding the reach of football with fans across every part of India.”

Mukund Galgali, Deputy CEO & Chief Financial Officer, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd, said,

“The partnership with FIFA marks a significant step in our journey to create a strong foundation in the sports ecosystem to drive long-term value creation. Football as a sport has tremendous under-leveraged potential in a country like India and we see a massive opportunity in unlocking its mass appeal for billions of viewers across the Nation. Our approach in the sports business is anchored in building a scalable and financially sustainable growth model through a disciplined capital allocation framework. We view sports as a powerful catalyst to unlock long-term economic and social value by translating the growing passion for sports to contribute meaningfully towards the Nation’s aspirations.”

Sandeep Mehrotra, Chief Operating Officer – Advertisement Revenue, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd, added,

“As we strengthen our presence in the sports ecosystem, we are equally focused on building a high-value advertising environment that delivers scale and depth of engagement. Our diversified sports and entertainment portfolio provides brands an opportunity to tap into varied consumer cohorts and leverage the full spectrum of live sporting moments and meaningful content formats. With our structured efforts, we are unlocking a new monetization avenue, while participating in the larger growth story of sports in India.”