Millions of football fans in India and China may be unable to watch the upcoming FIFA World Cup due to unresolved broadcast rights negotiations in both countries, raising concerns just weeks before the tournament begins.
The deadlock is particularly significant given China’s massive digital viewership during the 2022 World Cup, where FIFA reported that the country accounted for 49.8% of global viewing hours across digital and social platforms.
While FIFA has confirmed broadcast agreements in at least 175 territories worldwide, it stated that discussions with both India and China remain ongoing and confidential, with no official deals announced so far, according to the news agencies.
The absence of agreements at this late stage is unusual, as previous tournaments saw Chinese state broadcaster CCTV secure rights well in advance, along with early promotional campaigns and advertising preparations.
The FIFA World Cup 2026 is set to begin on June 11, leaving only a short window for finalizing media rights deals, establishing broadcast infrastructure, and securing advertising arrangements in two of the world’s largest football markets.
