FIFA World Cup sends TV sales soaring in India as fans rush to upgrade screens

MUMBAI: India’s television market has found an unlikely saviour: the FIFA World Cup. After a year of broadly flat smart TV shipments, retailers and manufacturers are reporting a sharp jump in sales as consumers across the country upgrade their home entertainment setups ahead of the tournament.

The surge is being felt most acutely in football-heartland states. Demand for larger-screen televisions has picked up significantly in West Bengal and Kerala, where the sport commands a following that borders on devotional. For brands with a strong presence in these markets, the numbers are hard to miss.

LG Electronics is seeing twice the normal growth in large-screen TV sales during the sporting season. Abhiral Bhansali, business head for home entertainment at LG Electronics India, attributed the trend to a fundamental shift in consumer expectations. “We are witnessing two times growth in large-screen TVs during sporting events, as consumers increasingly seek a stadium-like viewing experience at home,” he said. “Markets like West Bengal and Kerala have been particularly strong, reflecting the deep-rooted passion for the sport in these regions.”

SPPL, the exclusive brand licensee for Kodak, Thomson, Blaupunkt and Westinghouse televisions in India, is seeing similarly strong momentum. Avneet Singh Marwah, chief executive of SPPL, said interest was growing across South and East India, with rising engagement in North and West India as well. The Thomson brand alone is seeing around 7 per cent growth ahead of the season.

The broader context, however, keeps the celebrations measured. India’s smart TV shipments remained broadly flat year-on-year in 2025, according to a March 2026 Counterpoint Research report, with a weak first half offset by stronger GST-led festive demand in the latter part of the year, when Q4 shipments grew 10 per cent year-on-year. Anshika Jain, principal research analyst at Counterpoint Research, was candid about what the current spike represents. “Major sporting events continue to provide short-term demand boosts, particularly in the mid-premium and premium segments. However, these are seasonal spikes rather than indicators of sustained market growth,” she said.

Jain added a note of caution about the wider outlook. “Overall, sports events are acting as temporary demand catalysts, but the market is likely to remain under pressure this year. Rupee depreciation is also adding to cost pressures and impacting consumer sentiment. We expect conditions to improve gradually, with a more meaningful recovery likely to begin in the second half of next year.”

Beyond television sets, the tournament is also driving strong merchandise sales. Adidas, one of the most prominent sponsors of the FIFA World Cup, has launched a collection of jerseys, accessories, boots and balls ahead of the 48-nation tournament. In Kerala, the merchandise is moving briskly. Argentina and Spain jerseys are the most popular, while match balls are seeing particularly heavy demand, according to a sales executive at an Adidas store in Kochi.

The World Cup comes around every four years. For India’s television market, that cycle now functions as a reliable, if temporary, shot in the arm. The question is whether the industry can build something more durable before the next one arrives.

(Source: Moneycontrol)