Sports
Prasar Bharati enters race for FIFA World Cup 2026 broadcast rights
With JioStar and Sony sitting on their hands, India’s public broadcaster may be the only bidder left standing for the world’s biggest football tournament
NEW DELHI: For a global sporting event of this scale, the silence from India’s private broadcasters has been deafening. With the 2026 FIFA World Cup months away, no Indian broadcaster has secured rights to the tournament and the ones with the deepest pockets are in no hurry to change that.
FIFA, accustomed to competitive bidding for its marquee property, finds itself in the unfamiliar position of chasing buyers in India. It had initially set an eye-watering asking price for a bundled package covering the 2026 and 2030 tournaments. When that failed to move the market, the price was cut significantly. Even then, JioStar and Sony, the two broadcasters who have historically written big cheques for big events, have not bitten.
The reasons are not hard to find. Cricket still commands India’s advertising rupees with a grip that football cannot match. Worse, the 2026 edition is hosted across the United States, Canada and Mexico, which means most matches will kick off late at night or in the early hours for Indian viewers, precisely the slots that make advertisers nervous and audiences thin.
Into this vacuum steps Prasar Bharati. The public broadcaster operates on a different calculus entirely: accessibility over profit, reach over returns. If it secures the rights, Indian football fans could watch the tournament on free-to-air television without paying a paisa. For FIFA, it would mean a deal. For Doordarshan, it would mean relevance.
The irony is rich. A tournament that private broadcasters once jostled to air may end up on the same government-owned channel that has been carrying state funerals and budget speeches for decades. FIFA wanted a bidding war; it got a waiting room. If Prasar Bharati ends up as the last man standing, both sides will have to pretend that was the plan all along.
Sports
Fatakpay launches FPL referral campaign during IPL 2026
Fintech introduces cricket-themed rewards programme with assured digital gold and chance to win TV sets and scooter worth up to Rs 15 lakh.
MUMBAI: Fatakpay has bowled a googly that even the biggest cricket fans will love turning referrals into a full-blown Fatakpay Premier League (FPL). Riding high on IPL fever, the fintech platform has launched a high-energy referral campaign running from 28 March to 31 May 2026. Users can score big by referring friends and family to sign up for FatakPay’s Instant Loan or FatakUdaan products. Every successful referral, when the new user completes a loan disbursal or activates FatakUdaan counts as a “run” towards unlocking rewards from a total prize pool of up to Rs 15 lakh.
The campaign keeps the excitement going with guaranteed digital gold rewards at key milestones:
- Rs 100 worth of digital gold for 2 successful referrals
- Rs 500 worth of rewards for 4 referrals
- Rs 1,000 worth of rewards for 6 referrals
Users who hit 4 or 6 referrals also enter lucky draws for five 32-inch TV sets or a TVS Ntorq scooter. The scooter will be awarded once the campaign reaches a community milestone of 1,00,000 total referral applications.
Fatakpay chief business officer, Abhishek Gandhi said, “The Fatakpay Premier League taps into the energy and cultural momentum of India’s biggest cricket season, transforming referrals into a high-energy, rewarding experience. The idea is to bring the thrill of cricket to our users, where every successful referral feels like scoring a boundary. It is also our way of acknowledging the trust our users place in us every day.”
Only referrals made during the campaign window will qualify, and all rewards are subject to verification. Both referrer and referred users must meet standard eligibility criteria, including app installation and KYC completion.
In a season where boundaries and sixes dominate conversations, Fatakpay has cleverly turned everyday referrals into a playful, rewarding contest. Whether you’re chasing guaranteed gold or dreaming of that shiny new scooter, the FPL makes sharing Fatakpay as exciting as watching your favourite team chase a target. With the IPL in full swing, this campaign ensures users can enjoy the cricket and potentially take home some serious rewards while doing so.
The pitch is open until 31 May. Time to start referring and see how many “runs” you can score.
