Sports
Sony secures exclusive India rights for 2026 Asian Games broadcast
SPNI to air Aichi-Nagoya Games across TV and Sony LIV streaming
MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Networks India has secured the exclusive broadcast rights for the 2026 Asian Games, bringing the continental multi-sport event back to the Sony Sports Network for Indian audiences.
Scheduled to be held in Japan from September 19 to October 4, 2026, the Games will be aired live across Sony’s sports channels and streamed on Sony LIV. The deal covers India and the wider Indian subcontinent, ensuring broad regional access to one of Asia’s biggest sporting spectacles.
The acquisition comes at a time when India’s interest in multi-sport events is at a high. At the previous edition, the country delivered its best-ever performance, clinching 107 medals and signalling its growing strength on the continental stage. With a mix of emerging talent and seasoned athletes, expectations for the upcoming Games are running high.
The 2026 edition will feature competition across 41 sports, including 32 Olympic disciplines, alongside additions such as mixed martial arts and surfing. For Indian viewers, cricket is expected to be a major draw, with both men’s and women’s teams aiming to reclaim top honours in Asia.
Sony Pictures Networks India chief revenue officer and business head – sports and international Rajesh Kaul said, “The Asian Games represents sporting excellence and is a powerful platform for national pride.” He added that India’s 100-plus medal milestone at the last edition has sparked unprecedented interest, setting the stage for “another unforgettable chapter”.
Olympic Council of Asia director general Husain Al-Musallam said the agreement marks “the beginning of a new phase” in the distribution of the Asian Games across the Indian subcontinent.
SPNI said it plans to offer comprehensive coverage, including expert analysis and multi-language programming, aiming to bring audiences closer to the action from the opening ceremony through to the final medal events.
With the return of the Asian Games to its network and India eyeing another record haul, Sony is betting big on both sport and sentiment, hoping to turn continental competition into prime-time viewing once again.
Sports
Zee to broadcast ILT20 Season 5 from November 22
34 match Gulf league runs till 20 December, streamed on Zee5.
MUMBAI: Cricket is packing its bags for a winter getaway and this time, the desert’s calling the shots. Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited has locked in the live broadcast of Season 5 of the DP World International League T20, setting the stage for a month-long cricket spectacle from November 22 to December 20, 2026. The six-team tournament will feature 34 matches, culminating in the final at the Dubai International Stadium. The league, already positioned as the second-most watched T20 competition globally, continues its December window shift, a move introduced in Season 4 after its earlier January-February scheduling.
That shift appears to have paid off. Season 4 drew 397 million unique viewers across television and OTT platforms, marking a 7.49 per cent increase over Season 3. The final, held on January 4, 2026, played out to a packed stadium as the Desert Vipers clinched their maiden title with a 46-run win over the MI Emirates.
Zee will air the matches across its linear television network and stream them on Zee5, while also exploring distribution via its upcoming dedicated sports channels. The broadcaster is clearly betting big on cricket to deepen engagement and expand its sports footprint.
Season 4’s on-field fireworks were matched by star power. Sam Curran walked away as Player of the Tournament and Best Batter, while Waqar Salamkheil claimed Best Bowler honours, and Muhammad Waseem emerged as the Best UAE Player. The squads also featured global names such as Andre Russell, Kieron Pollard, Moeen Ali and Sunil Narine, reinforcing the league’s international appeal.
Beyond the boundary ropes, the league is also expanding its footprint. Partnerships with the Saudi Arabia Cricket Federation and Kuwait Cricket are expected to feed into development tournaments ahead of Season 5, signalling ambitions that stretch beyond just a broadcast window.
For Zee, the message is clear, as cricket chases newer geographies and audiences, the broadcaster is determined not just to air the game but to own a bigger slice of its growing global narrative.
