MAM
ZEE5 and Unite8 Sports launch ‘Poora India Watchega’ campaign for FIFA World Cup 2026
The nationwide push aims to bring casual viewers and die-hard fans alike into football’s biggest moment as Zee bets on building a lasting football culture in India
MUMBAI: Zee Entertainment is coming for every living room, café, workplace and street corner in India. With the FIFA World Cup 2026 weeks away, ZEE5 and Unite8 Sports have launched a nationwide campaign called Poora India Watchega, designed to turn a sporting event into a shared national moment.
The campaign is built around a high-energy brand film directed by Atul Kattukara with First December Films, capturing how football comes alive across homes, streets and communities during the World Cup. Creative and strategic development has been led by agency Talented, with mktgstack, part of the Talented Grid, handling social and digital to build football culture online ahead of kickoff. The distribution strategy spans more than 200 websites, connected televisions, food and delivery apps, sports apps and digital sports communities across India, alongside creator-led integrations and brand partnerships.
Kartik Mahadev, chief marketing officer of Zee Entertainment Enterprises, framed the campaign as an invitation rather than a broadcast. “Every four years, football goes beyond its core fans and becomes something everyone wants to be part of,” he said. “Through this campaign, we have aimed to make the World Cup feel welcoming and exciting, whether you have followed football for years or are tuning in for the first time.”
Bavesh Janavlekar, chief business officer of Unite8 Sports at Zee Entertainment, pointed to the expanded 48-team format as a defining feature of this particular tournament. With footballing legends nearing the end of their careers and a new generation of stars rising to replace them, he argued the 2026 edition was bigger than just a sporting event. The campaign, he said, was built for lifelong followers, once-in-four-years viewers and those discovering the game for the first time.
Karishma Changroth and Sanket Audhi, founding members at Talented, described the campaign as the product of high trust and shared ambition across all partners involved.
The FIFA World Cup 2026 will be broadcast in Hindi, English, Bangla and Malayalam across ZEE5 and the Unite8 Sports channels. The partnership between Zee Entertainment and FIFA extends through 2034, covering the FIFA World Cup 2030, the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027 and a portfolio of other premier international tournaments.
Football in India has long been a passion in search of a platform. Zee has just handed it one, and it is going to be very hard to ignore.
