After months of confusion over sports rights, India finally has a clarity on the ways it can broadcast the FIFA World Cup 2026. Broadcaster Zee Entertainment Enterprises is poised to bring the World Cup to India by acquiring the rights to broadcast and stream the tournament on their own mediums, which further paved the way for fans to watch the action in India.The World Cup is about to kick off soon and Zee Entertainment Enterprises is officially all set to show the World Cup for broadcast viewing and streaming on their respective mediums, eliminating any confusion about the place where the world cup would be watched in India.
In the agreement, Zee will be broadcasting World Cup games through its sports network, and on the ZEE5 digital platform. The football section has been bolstered at the firm too, which took 38 more football competitions for its portfolio through 2034 from FIFA. To help cover the channels, Zee has introduced four new sports channels, Unite8 Sports 1 and 2 SD/HD.
ZEE5 also allows fans to subscribe to its package for watching all of the webinars at a price of ₹799 for three months or ₹1,699 annually. But those who are seeking a free choice will still be able to access a handful of World Cup games with DD Free Dish via DD Sports.
DD Sports says it will host the first matchup of defending FIFA World Cup champions Mexico National Football Team versus South Africa National Football Team on June 11. It can be seen by Indian viewers at 12:30 a.m. IST on June 12.
The public broadcaster will also broadcast the later stages of the tournament – quarter finals, semi finals and the finals. The quarter-finals will take place July 9–11 followed by semi-finals July 14 and 15. FIFA World Cup 2026 will also be seen on DD Sports on the 19th of July for the final game.
The deal makes Indian football supporters happy as it gives them premium game viewing alongside free viewing, hence giving it wider popularity across the country.