The development concludes nearly 10 months of efforts by FIFA to secure a broadcaster in India after negotiations with incumbent broadcaster JioStar broke down over valuation, people familiar with the matter said.
While Zee and FIFA declined to disclose financial details, industry sources said the deal value is estimated to exceed $40 million for the two tournaments, with a larger share of the value attributed to the 2030 edition, to be hosted by Portugal, Spain and Morocco. Viacom18, now part of JioStar, had paid $61-62 million for the media rights to the 2022 Qatar FIFA World Cup.
The broader recalibration in India’s sports rights market amid media consolidation following the merger of Star India and Viacom18, a greater focus has been on profitability, and the weakening economics of linear television across subscription and advertising revenues. Digital platforms, despite their promise, are yet to emerge as a monetisation engine comparable to television for sports.
Sources said FIFA had initially sought nearly $100 million for the rights to both editions. JioStar’s last offer for the 2026 event was pegged at around $15 million after discussions narrowed to a single tournament in the later stages.
For Zee, the FIFA package will act as a launchpad for its sports ambitions nearly a decade after it exited the business by selling Ten Sports to Sony Pictures Networks India for $385 million.
The broadcaster was keen on a broader arrangement as it seeks to build a long-term sports business around its upcoming Unite8 Sports network. Zee also owns the media rights for the UAE-based ILT20 cricket league, which it has been airing on its movie channels.
Zee5 has launched an All Access + Sports package priced at ₹799 for three months and ₹1,699 for a year.