The 2026 FIFA World Cup could be plunged into a major broadcasting crisis just weeks before kick-off on June 11 in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Millions of fans in India and China are still uncertain over how they will watch football’s biggest tournament.
According to Reuters, FIFA has yet to finalise television and streaming rights agreements in the world’s two most populous countries.
The situation is particularly concerning given the enormous audience figures generated by both nations during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
China accounted for 17.7 percent of the tournament’s global linear TV reach, while India contributed 2.9%.
The two countries made up more than 22% of the competition’s total digital streaming audience.
In India, negotiations have stalled after Reliance-Disney, a media giant controlled by billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries and Disney, offered around $20 million for the rights.
FIFA rejected the bid as significantly below its valuation.
Sources told Reuters that FIFA initially wanted close to $100 million for the rights covering both the 2026 and 2030 World Cups before lowering its asking price during negotiations.
However, Reliance see the tournament as commercially less attractive than previous editions due to unfavourable time zones for Indian viewers.
Many matches are expected to air after midnight local time.
Sony, another major player in the Indian broadcast market, also held discussions with FIFA.
They ultimately decided against submitting a bid after concluding the investment did not make financial sense.
The delay is highly unusual at this stage of the tournament cycle.
During previous World Cups, broadcasters in both India and China had secured rights well over a year in advance, allowing promotional campaigns and advertising sales to begin early.
China’s situation remains equally uncertain, with no official broadcaster announced despite the country boasting an estimated 200 million football fans.
State broadcaster CCTV, which carried the last two World Cups, has yet to confirm any agreement with FIFA.
The uncertainty is a potentially damaging commercial headache for FIFA, as the governing body has already concluded broadcasting deals across more than 175 territories worldwide.
World Cup live streaming channels are already available for fans to tap into.
Advertising experts in India believe negotiations are entering their final stages.
However, time is running out for broadcasters to prepare, schedule coverage, and sell sponsorship inventory before the opening match.
