Prasar Bharati emerges as option for FIFA World Cup 2026 rights in India | FIFA World Cup 2022

With less than three months left for the FIFA World Cup 2026, India remains without an official broadcaster, an unusual situation for one of the world’s biggest sports markets. While private media companies hesitate due to valuation concerns, attention is now turning toward an unexpected name: Prasar Bharati, which has already held preliminary discussions with FIFA.

A senior government official confirmed that exploratory talks have taken place to understand the pricing structure and feasibility of acquiring the rights.

Private broadcasters hold back as valuation gap widens

FIFA launched its India media rights sale process in mid-2025, bundling the 2026 and 2030 World Cups to attract buyers. However, negotiations have stalled despite multiple rounds of discussions.

The governing body is believed to have reduced its asking price from nearly $100 million to around $35 million for both tournaments. Even after this revision, no agreement has been finalized.

On the other side, industry estimates suggest that the merged entity JioStar values the package at closer to $25 million, significantly lower than FIFA’s expectations. For comparison, Viacom18 had paid about $62 million for the 2022 World Cup alone, highlighting the sharp correction in perceived market value.

Prasar Bharati emerges as a possible alternative buyer

Officials argue that the public broadcaster operates under a different framework than private networks, where commercial returns are not the sole priority. Instead, large-scale sporting events are often viewed as part of its public service mandate.

With DD Free Dish reaching a massive television audience and the WAVES OTT platform expanding its digital presence, Prasar Bharati now has a stronger distribution setup than in earlier years.

Guaranteed exposure through public service broadcasting rules

Under India’s Sports Broadcasting Signals (Mandatory Sharing with Prasar Bharati) Act, key sporting events classified as “national importance” must be shared with the public broadcaster. This ensures that marquee matches such as semi-finals and finals are likely to be shown on Doordarshan regardless of the primary rights holder.

This regulatory framework effectively guarantees Prasar Bharati access to the tournament’s most high-profile content.

JioStar still seen as frontrunner despite delays

Despite the uncertainty, industry experts continue to view JioStar as the most likely eventual rights holder. The combined strength of Star Sports on television and JioHotstar on digital platforms gives it strong monetisation potential across India’s fragmented media landscape.

In the previous World Cup cycle, digital platforms showed strong revenue potential, with JioCinema (Now JioHotstar) reportedly generating substantial advertising income through brand partnerships during the 2022 tournament.

However, analysts say the current deadlock is less about interest and more about price alignment. While FIFA wants a higher valuation, broadcasters are waiting for a correction before committing.

Final outcome depends on pricing compromise

Industry insiders believe a resolution will eventually be reached, but only once either side adjusts its expectations. If negotiations continue to stall, broadcasters like JioStar may still enter the deal closer to the tournament window, when FIFA’s bargaining position weakens further.

For now, India’s FIFA World Cup 2026 broadcast rights remain in limbo, with no confirmed partner despite growing urgency.