Asia yet to secure broadcast rights for FIFA 2026 World Cup
Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
TLDR
- Major Asian countries, including China, India, and Thailand, have not yet secured broadcast rights for the upcoming FIFA 2026 World Cup, with the tournament starting in less than a month.
- Unsociable match timings for the region, with games often starting in the early morning hours, are a significant factor deterring broadcasters and potentially limiting viewership.
- FIFA is reportedly seeking substantial fees for the rights, leading to protracted negotiations as broadcasters weigh the monetization challenges posed by late-night games and the absence of their national teams.
As the FIFA 2026 World Cup approaches, a significant portion of football-crazed Asia finds itself in a state of suspense, with broadcast rights yet to be confirmed in key markets like China, India, and Thailand. This lack of confirmed deals, with the tournament kicking off on June 11, leaves hundreds of millions of fans uncertain about their ability to watch the global showpiece from their homes. The primary hurdle appears to be the inconvenient match timings for the Asian region, with many crucial games scheduled to start in the early morning hours, posing a challenge for widespread viewership and subsequent monetization opportunities for broadcasters.
The first problem is of match timings. The bigger, better matches are at 12:30 am or 3:30 am. A few at 6:30 am. Except for die-hard soccer fans, match viewership is likely to be low in India. Therefore monetisation opportunities for the channels come down massively.
In India, for instance, discussions between FIFA and potential broadcasters have been complicated by these time differences. Sandeep Goyal, chairman at advertising agency Rediffusion, noted that while JioStar reportedly offered $20 million, Sony made no bid, and FIFA's initial asking price of $100 million for both 2026 and 2030 rights seems unlikely to be met. The late-night kick-offs for major matches, often at 12:30 am or 3:30 am, significantly diminish the appeal for casual viewers, impacting advertising revenue potential.
Historically, CCTV has secured World Cup rights well in advance. For previous editions, agreements were typically concluded early enough to allow for extensive promotion and advertising campaigns.
China, despite its massive population and intense football interest, particularly evident in its high viewership numbers during the Qatar 2022 World Cup, also faces an uncertain broadcast future. State media, including the Global Times, has highlighted CCTV's historical exclusive rights but noted the unusual delay in securing the 2026 deal. Thailand, while passionate about football, has also not finalized a deal, with the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission having previously removed the World Cup from a mandatory free-to-air list. The Prime Minister's assurance that fans will not miss out suggests a government effort to resolve the situation, echoing past administrations' commitments to ensuring access to the tournament.
Previous governments ensured free access to the World Cup, and my administration sho
DistantNews Editorial
Originally published by The Punch. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.
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