Zee Bags FIFA 2026 Broadcasting Deal For India
Zee Secures Exclusive Rights For The FIFA World Cup 2026 India Broadcast.
Good news for football fans. Zee Entertainment has the broadcasting rights for FIFA World Cup matches. Zee Entertainment has signed an eight-year deal with FIFA. Under this, Zee Entertainment has received all FIFA rights. Under the agreement, they have the rights for 39 global football events in India. These broadcasting rights include this year’s FIFA World Cup as well as the 2030 FIFA World Cup event.
This deal with Zee Entertainment was made 10 days before the start of the FIFA World Cup. The FIFA World Cup is starting on 11 June. It is being jointly hosted by America, Canada and Mexico. In India, the FIFA World Cup will be shown on the Zee Group’s new channel network, Unite8 Sports (which includes Unite8 Sports 1 and 2 in both standard and HD). Also, matches will be live-streamed on Zee5. Along with live matches, viewers will also get to see highlights, analysis, programmes, special features and free documentary content throughout the tournament.
Trending Updates & Facts About the Deal
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The Standoff is Over: India was one of the very last major countries without a TV broadcaster for the tournament. Other big networks like JioStar and Sony did not buy the rights because the matches take place late at night or early in the morning in India. Zee saved the day at the last minute!
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A Massive Tournament: This year’s World Cup will be the biggest one ever. It will feature 48 teams instead of the usual 32, meaning fans get to watch a record-breaking 104 matches.
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More Than Just the Men’s World Cup: Zee’s eight-year package runs all the way until 2034. It includes the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup, as well as several youth Under-17 and Under-20 World Cups, and indoor Futsal tournaments.
Because the tournament takes place in North America, the matches will air late at night or early in the morning in India.
The group stage runs from 12 June to 27 June (IST). Here is a clear breakdown of how the daily match timings work out in Indian Standard Time, along with the schedule for the biggest opening fixtures.
Standard Daily Match Slots (IST)
During the group stage, matches are spaced out across the day. Most days will feature games during these four main time slots:
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9:30 PM (Late Evening)
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12:30 AM (Midnight)
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3:30 AM (Early Morning)
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6:30 AM (Morning)
Opening Week Fixtures (IST Schedule)
Here is the schedule for the first few days of the tournament, showing exactly when and where the teams play in India time:
| Date (IST) | IST Kick-Off Time | Match & Group | Venue |
| Friday, 12 June | 1:30 AM | Mexico vs South Africa (Group A) | Mexico City |
| 7:30 AM | South Korea vs Czech Republic (Group A) | Guadalajara | |
| Saturday, 13 June | 12:30 AM | Canada vs Bosnia and Herzegovina (Group B) | Toronto |
| 3:30 AM | USA vs Paraguay (Group D) | Los Angeles | |
| 6:30 AM | Australia vs Türkiye (Group D) | Vancouver | |
| 9:30 PM | Brazil vs Morocco (Group C) | New York / New Jersey | |
| Sunday, 14 June | 12:30 AM | Haiti vs Scotland (Group C) | Boston |
| 3:30 AM | Qatar vs Switzerland (Group B) | San Francisco Bay Area | |
| 6:30 AM | Germany vs Curaçao (Group E) | Houston | |
| Monday, 15 June | 12:30 AM | Ivory Coast vs Ecuador (Group E) | Philadelphia |
| 3:30 AM | Netherlands vs Japan (Group F) | Dallas | |
| 6:30 AM | Sweden vs Tunisia (Group F) | Monterrey | |
| 9:30 PM | Spain vs Cape Verde (Group H) | Atlanta |
Key Dates to Remember
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Group Stage: 12 June to 27 June (IST)
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Round of 32 (New Knockout Round): 28 June to 3 July (IST)
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Round of 16: 4 July to 7 July (IST)
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Quarter-Finals: 9 July to 11 July (IST)
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Semi-Finals: 14 July and 15 July (IST)
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The Final: 19 July (IST)
Note on the Final: The final match will take place at the MetLife Stadium in New York/New Jersey. For fans watching in India on United Sports or streaming on Zee5, the game will kick off early in the morning on Monday, 20 July.
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