In India, a joint venture between Reliance and Disney reportedly offered around $20 million for broadcast rights for the 2026 tournament—far below FIFA’s valuation. The proposal was not accepted, sources told Reuters, while Sony Group also opted not to submit a bid, citing commercial concerns. FIFA has not commented publicly on the negotiations.
The stalled deal is unusual given India’s status as one of the world’s largest media markets and comes just weeks before the tournament begins on June 11 in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Industry analysts say the tight timeline leaves little room for a late agreement, particularly with advertising sales and broadcast infrastructure still pending.
FIFA had reportedly sought about $100 million for combined rights to the 2026 and 2030 tournaments, but later reduced its expectations. However, the $20 million offer from Reliance–Disney is still viewed as insufficient given projected revenues.
Sources also pointed to broader market concerns, including lower expected viewership in India due to inconvenient match timings and weaker advertising demand linked to economic pressures.
In China, meanwhile, no official broadcast agreement has been confirmed. The absence is notable given that Chinese state broadcaster CCTV traditionally secures World Cup rights well in advance and played a major role in global viewership during the 2022 tournament.
China accounted for nearly half of global digital engagement during the last World Cup, while India contributed a smaller but significant share of global audiences. Despite having an estimated 200 million football fans, China’s national team performance and commercial sports ecosystem remain underdeveloped.
FIFA, Reliance–Disney, Sony, and CCTV have not publicly responded to requests for comment on the status of negotiations.
Industry experts describe the situation as a late-stage deadlock, with limited time remaining to finalize deals before the tournament begins.
