The Delhi High Court has directed the central government and Prasar Bharati to respond to a petition demanding the broadcast of the FIFA World Cup 2026 in India. As the tournament approaches without a confirmed broadcaster, the case highlights concerns over public access to the event.
Will Indian football fans get to watch the FIFA World Cup 2026 live? (Photo: Reuters)
With just over a month until the FIFA World Cup 2026 kicks off, Indian football supporters remain in the dark about where to watch the matches. The uncertainty has reached the Delhi High Court, which on Monday issued a notice to the Centre and Prasar Bharati regarding a plea seeking directives to ensure the tournament is telecast in India, particularly on free-to-air platforms like Doordarshan and DD Sports.
Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav issued the notice during a hearing on a writ petition filed by advocate Avdhesh Bairwa under Article 226 of the Constitution. The petition argues that despite the tournament running from June 11 to July 19, no broadcaster in India has officially secured media rights, raising fears that millions of football fans could miss out on the world’s biggest sporting event.
The plea also points out that the FIFA World Cup has been designated a “sporting event of national importance” under the Sports Broadcasting Signals (Mandatory Sharing with Prasar Bharati) Act, 2007. This classification, according to the plea, obligates authorities to ensure public access to the tournament.
The issue is particularly striking given India’s massive football audience. During the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, India emerged as one of FIFA’s top engagement markets globally, despite the national team not qualifying. The plea further contends that Prasar Bharati already has the infrastructure to broadcast the event via DD Sports, DD Free Dish, and the WAVES OTT platform.
The petitioner claims that failing to ensure the broadcast would violate citizens’ rights under Articles 14, 19(1)(a), and 21 of the Constitution, including the right to access information through public broadcasting channels.
The primary reason for the deadlock appears to be the gap between FIFA’s valuation and what Indian broadcasters are willing to pay. According to reports cited in the plea, FIFA initially valued the India broadcasting package for the 2026 and 2030 World Cups at nearly USD 100 million. After a lack of broadcaster interest, that figure was reportedly reduced to around USD 35 million. Even after the reduction, no agreement has been finalized.
Commercial complications surrounding the 2026 World Cup have added to the complexity. Since the tournament will be hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, most matches are expected to air during late-night and early-morning hours in India. This significantly affects advertising value and viewership projections for broadcasters already heavily invested in cricket properties. The overall sports broadcasting market in India has also shifted drastically in recent years, with broadcasters becoming increasingly cautious about expensive rights deals outside cricket.
As a result, one of the world’s biggest sporting events remains without a confirmed Indian broadcaster just weeks before kickoff.
Despite the uncertainty, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) remains optimistic that a solution will be reached. AIFF Deputy General Secretary M Satyanarayan recently stated that India’s market size makes it extremely difficult for FIFA or broadcasters to completely ignore the country. However, the federation also clarified that it cannot directly intervene in commercial negotiations, as its role is limited to administering football rather than handling media rights deals.
The AIFF highlighted India’s growing interest in football, noting that Indian fans formed the largest traveling supporter base among non-qualified nations during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
For now, fans are left waiting. With the opening match less than a month away, the window for promotion, scheduling, and technical preparation is rapidly shrinking. Yet, there is still an expectation within Indian football circles that FIFA and broadcasters will eventually reach a compromise rather than let the tournament disappear from one of the world’s largest sports markets.
