News Broadcasting
MasterCard files suit against Fifa
MUMBAI: With the football World cup less than two months away, one of Fifa’s global partners, MasterCard International has filed a complaint in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York seeking an injunction against Fifa.
The aim is to prevent Fifa from moving forward with an agreement with arch rival Visa International to sponsor the 2010 and 2014 editions of the World Cup.
It was recently revealed that Fifa had entered into that relationship despite having a contractual agreement giving MasterCard the right of first refusal to continue to be the category-exclusive sponsor of those events.
MasterCard’s complaint states that after a period of negotiation in which Fifa assured MasterCard that it was not going to enter into an agreement with a third party, it proceeded in doing so.
Mastercard alleges that Fifa did this despite the fact that it had already provided MasterCard with a written contract, including all terms, which MasterCard signed and returned to Fifa, which then advised MasterCard that a deal with Visa was completed.
MasterCard International General Counsel Noah Hanft says, “This action by Fifa is a blatant and deceitful violation of our right of first refusal particularly as we had already signed and accepted Fifa’s offer.”
MasterCard states that as part of its 2002-2006 agreement with Fifa, which was signed in 2002, the cerdit card major was granted the right of first refusal to be the official and exclusive payment solutions sponsor of future Fifa World Cup events. Therefore, Fifa was precluded from entering into such an agreement with Visa.
Hanft adds, “Among the key terms we bargained for in the 2002-2006 Fifa World Cup sponsorship negotiation was the right to obtain future FIFA World Cup sponsorship opportunities and a critical aspect of any sponsorship, particularly one as significant as Fifa World Cup, is continuity and the building of equity over time.
“MasterCard will vigorously pursue legal action to compel Fifa to honour the 96-page written and binding agreement it has with MasterCard, providing for us to be an official sponsor of the next two FIFA World Cups.”
MasterCard International chief marketing officer Lawrence Flanagan says, “MasterCard continues to move forward with the important customer and consumer programming related to the 2006 Fifa World Cup in Germany, which begins in June. A significant number of our customer financial institutions, more than 300 of them, are activating business-building programmes worldwide.”
News Broadcasting
Rising Bharat Summit 2026 spotlights India’s global ascent
PM Modi keynotes two-day event with ministers, diplomats and icons in New Delhi.
MUMBAI: India didn’t just host a summit, it threw a coming-out party for a nation ready to own the global stage. The News18 Rising Bharat Summit 2026, held on 27–28 February in New Delhi, emerged as a high-octane platform for ideas, vision and strategic dialogue, uniting national leadership, global policymakers, industry titans, defence strategists and cultural icons under the theme “Strength Within”.
Prime minister Narendra Modi set the tone with a keynote that framed India’s resurgence as a reclaiming of lost potential built over generations. “In previous industrial revolutions, India and the Global South were merely followers,” he said. “But in the era of Artificial Intelligence, India is a partner in decisions and shaping them.” He highlighted the country’s thriving AI startup ecosystem and the recent AI Impact Summit attended by over 100 nations.
Union minister Piyush Goyal (Commerce & Industry) stressed India’s readiness to scale exports and deepen manufacturing, while Ashwini Vaishnaw (Railways, I&B, Electronics & IT) positioned technology and infrastructure as twin engines of growth, especially in AI and digital trust. Jyotiraditya Scindia (Communications & North East Development) revealed India’s ambition to lead in 6G through the Bharat 6G Alliance and partnerships with over 30 countries.
Global voices added depth: former Singapore Foreign Minister George Yeo called India’s development “self-sustaining” and strategically vital; ex-UK Chief of Defence Staff General Sir Nick Carter asserted India deserves a seat at the great powers’ table; and former US Commerce Secretary Carlos M. Gutierrez joined ambassadors from Norway, Germany and Sweden in discussions on geopolitical realignment, sustainability and defence preparedness.
Other speakers included veteran investor Ramesh Damani, World Gold Council CEO David Tait, Vianai Systems founder Dr Vishal Sikka, DeepTech Bharat Foundation co-founder Shashi Shekhar Vempati, defence experts Rajesh Kumar Singh, Sunil Ambekar, Patrick McGee, Tom Cooper and Adrian Fontanellaz, plus cultural and sporting icons Kangana Ranaut, Saina Nehwal, PR Sreejesh, Mohammed Shami, Yuzvendra Chahal, Mithali Raj, Anil Kapoor and Yami Gautam.
The summit was supported by Jio Financial Services (Presenting Partner), Phonepe and DS Group (Co-Presenting Partners), Pernod Ricard India and Kia Seltos (Powered By & Driven By), state governments of Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Uttarakhand (State Partners), and associate partners including NSE, M3M Foundation and Reliance Industries.
Broadcast live across News18 Network, CNBC-TV18 and CNBC Awaaz, the event reinforced India’s image as a confident democracy and emerging global power proving that when strength comes from within, the world can’t help but watch.
