Sports
Zee secures FIFA rights until 2034, brings World Cup to Indian fans
Broadcaster launches sports channels as part of long-term football push
MUMBAI: Zee has kicked off a major football offensive, securing rights to broadcast 39 FIFA events over the next eight years and positioning itself as the new home of world football for Indian audiences.
In one of the biggest sports media deals in recent years, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. has partnered with FIFA to bring a slate of global football tournaments to India, including the FIFA World Cup 2026, FIFA World Cup 2030 and FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027.
The agreement covers key FIFA competitions from 2026 through 2034, giving Zee a long-term foothold in the global football ecosystem as it seeks to diversify its sports portfolio and attract younger audiences.
The football festival begins on June 11, 2026, with coverage of the FIFA World Cup 2026 across Zee’s newly launched Unite8 Sports channels and digital platform ZEE5.
Beyond the headline tournaments, Zee will broadcast a wide range of FIFA events, including the FIFA Men’s U-17 World Cup from 2026 to 2034, the FIFA Women’s U-17 World Cup from 2026 to 2034, the FIFA U-20 Men’s World Cup in 2027, 2029, 2031 and 2033, the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in 2026, 2028, 2030, 2032 and 2034, the FIFA Futsal Men’s World Cup in 2028 and 2032, the FIFA Futsal Women’s World Cup in 2029 and 2033, and the FIFA Intercontinental Cup between 2026 and 2030.
As part of the package, Zee has also acquired rights to documentary and behind-the-scenes content connected to these tournaments. The company believes the combination of live sporting action and storytelling content will help deepen fan engagement across television and digital platforms.
The move marks a significant expansion of Zee’s sports ambitions. To support the initiative, the broadcaster has launched four dedicated sports channels: Unite8 Sports 1, Unite8 Sports 1 HD, Unite8 Sports 2 and Unite8 Sports 2 HD.
The company has also appointed Bavesh Janavlekar to take on additional responsibilities as chief business officer of Unite8 Sports channels alongside his existing leadership role within Zee’s Marathi movies business.
Zee says the investment is about more than broadcasting rights. The company is positioning the partnership as part of a broader effort to expand football’s reach in India and reconnect younger audiences with a sport that once enjoyed considerable prominence in the country.
The broadcaster highlighted India’s fourth-place finish at the 1956 Melbourne Olympics and noted that the national football team last qualified for the Olympics in 1960. By increasing access to international football across television and digital platforms, Zee hopes to help revive interest in the sport among the next generation of fans.
Commenting on the partnership, Zee Entertainment Enterprises chief executive officer Punit Goenka said, “We are excited to bring one of the world’s biggest sporting spectacles to Indian audiences. Football cuts across regions and demographics, and the investments in media rights and dedicated sports channels reflect our belief in its long-term potential. Our partnership with FIFA will enable us to unlock the true value of the sport while amplifying the excitement of the game for every fan.”
For FIFA, India represents a strategic growth market driven by its young population and expanding sports audience.
FIFA chief business officer Romy Gai said, “The FIFA World Cup is the greatest show on earth, and we are glad to partner with Zee for the first time to bring this global spectacle to India. The Indian market is of strategic importance for FIFA, and Zee’s extensive broadcast and digital ecosystem can play a pivotal role in expanding football’s reach across the country.”
From a business perspective, Zee expects the deal to strengthen subscriber growth across linear television and streaming platforms, create new advertising opportunities and broaden its appeal among younger consumers.
Explaining the rationale behind the investment, Zee Entertainment Enterprises deputy chief executive officer and chief financial officer Mukund Galgali said, “Football has tremendous under-leveraged potential in India. We see a significant opportunity to unlock its mass appeal and build a scalable and financially sustainable sports business through disciplined capital allocation.”
The company is also pitching the expanded sports portfolio as a powerful advertising proposition. With properties spanning football, cricket, kabaddi and other sports, Zee believes brands will gain access to highly engaged audiences across multiple demographics and regions.
Zee Entertainment Enterprises chief operating officer advertisement revenue Sandeep Mehrotra said the expanded sports offering would create a high-value advertising environment that combines scale with deeper audience engagement.
With rights to some of football’s biggest tournaments now secured for nearly a decade, Zee is making one thing clear: it wants a seat at the top table of India’s sports broadcasting market. Whether that investment also helps spark a wider football revival in the country remains to be seen, but the broadcaster has certainly placed a sizeable bet on the beautiful game.
