The All India Football Federation remains optimistic that the 2026 FIFA World Cup will be broadcast in India despite continued uncertainty over media rights just weeks before the tournament begins.
With no official broadcaster confirmed yet, concerns have grown among Indian football fans over access to the tournament. However, AIFF Deputy General Secretary M Satyanarayan said India’s massive audience base makes it too important a market for FIFA and broadcasters to overlook.
Speaking to India Today, Satyanarayan acknowledged that negotiations appear to be stalled due to a gap between FIFA’s valuation of the rights package and the bids submitted by Indian broadcasters.
According to industry reports, FIFA has already reduced its original asking price, but broadcasters remain cautious about increasing their offers. The delay has fuelled speculation over a possible last-minute deal as the tournament draws closer.
One of the major concerns affecting broadcaster interest, Satyanarayan suggested, could be the timing of matches. Since the tournament will be hosted across United States, Canada and Mexico, several matches are expected to take place late at night or during early morning hours for Indian viewers, potentially impacting advertising and television ratings.
Despite the commercial challenges, the AIFF official said he was confident a solution would eventually emerge because broadcasters understand the popularity and scale of the World Cup audience in India.
The federation also clarified that it has no role in the ongoing rights negotiations. Satyanarayan said the AIFF’s mandate is limited to administering football in the country and that it lacks the financial capacity to intervene in commercial discussions between FIFA and broadcasters.
Rejecting suggestions that fan interest may have declined, he pointed to the strong enthusiasm witnessed during the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, where India reportedly recorded one of the largest numbers of travelling supporters among non-qualified nations.
With the opening match scheduled for June 11, the window for broadcasters to finalise agreements and prepare coverage is rapidly shrinking. Still, the AIFF believes FIFA will eventually ensure the tournament reaches major football markets like India.
For now, fans remain dependent on ongoing negotiations between FIFA and India’s leading sports networks to determine where the tournament will be available for viewing.
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