New Delhi, May 23 (IANS) Former All India Football Federation (AIFF) general secretary Shaji Prabhakaran claimed that discussions over the Indian broadcast of the FIFA World Cup 2026 have finally concluded, and an official announcement regarding the broadcasting partner is expected in India next week.

Posting on X, he wrote, “BIG NEWS FOR INDIAN FOOTBALL FANS! The wait is finally over. Negotiations are complete, and the official announcement for the FIFA World Cup 2026 broadcasting partner in India is expected next week! After months of uncertainty, fans can finally relax, the World Cup will be fully accessible in India. Get ready for the biggest World Cup in history!

This statement came after days of apprehension about the World Cup being broadcast in India, with the tournament less than three weeks away. As yet, no broadcaster has confirmed its acquisition of media rights for the football tournament in the Indian market, with the tournament set to begin on June 11 (June 12, 12:30 am IST) across the United States, Canada and Mexico.

The issue recently reached the Delhi High Court, where Prasar Bharati told the court during the hearing that it was not responsible for securing the broadcasting rights for the event. It was a hearing before Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav. A petition was filed demanding that the general public nationwide have access to all major tournament events through sources such as Doordarshan and DD Sports.

The petition, filed by advocate Avdhesh Bairwa, sought a direction to broadcast all major football tournament fixtures, from the opening game to the final, including the quarterfinals and semifinals, on Doordarshan or DD Sports, so that they would be available to every Indian. However, during the May 19 hearing, Bairwa sought permission to withdraw the present petition and liberty to approach another court for appropriate relief.

In submissions before the court, it was clearly stated that India has the second-largest football fan base, and Indians generated nearly 745.7 million digital engagements with football events during the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, despite not qualifying for the tournament.

The primary issue with the broadcast rights is the cost. According to various sources, FIFA valued the Indian rights package at about USD 100 million as part of the combined package deal for the 2030 FIFA World Cup, but due to a weaker market response, it was later reduced to USD 35 million. It was also mentioned during the court proceedings that a USD 20 million bid from JioStar was rejected.

–IANS

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