Indian football fans may finally have reason to breathe easy after months of uncertainty surrounding the broadcast of the FIFA World Cup 2026 in the country.
Former All India Football Federation (AIFF) general secretary Shaji Prabhakaran claimed on social media on Friday that negotiations for India’s broadcasting rights are complete, with an official announcement expected as early as next week.
“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,” Prabhakaran wrote on X.
“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!”
The update comes amid growing concern among football followers in India, with the tournament now less than three weeks away and no official broadcaster yet announced for one of the world’s biggest television markets.
The uncertainty had sparked widespread questions over whether Indian fans would be able to watch the expanded 48-team World Cup without disruption.
Earlier this month, public broadcaster Prasar Bharati distanced itself from the issue during proceedings in the Delhi High Court, clarifying that it was not responsible for acquiring broadcast rights for the tournament.
That only intensified concerns, given India’s importance as a rapidly growing football market.
According to Reuters, India accounted for 2.9 per cent of FIFA’s global audience reach during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar despite the national team’s absence from the competition. With the country boasting the world’s second-largest population and an increasingly engaged football audience, industry observers have long believed a blackout remained unlikely.
Even amid the uncertainty, optimism persisted within Indian football circles that a resolution would eventually emerge before kick-off.
The AIFF has acknowledged the concerns raised by fans, though the federation has clarified that commercial negotiations involving media rights are outside its direct jurisdiction.
However, AIFF deputy general secretary M Satyanarayan recently underlined India’s significance in the global football ecosystem, suggesting it would be difficult for either FIFA or broadcasters to ignore such a major market for long.
That assessment now appears to align with Prabhakaran’s latest claim, though there has been no official confirmation yet from FIFA or any broadcasting network.
If the reported breakthrough materialises, it would bring relief to millions of Indian fans eager to follow what promises to be the biggest World Cup in history, with the 2026 edition set to be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
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