Millions of football fans across India and China are facing growing uncertainty over whether they will be able to watch the upcoming FIFA World Cup, as broadcasters in both countries have yet to finalise transmission deals with football’s global governing body, FIFA.
With just weeks remaining before the tournament kicks off, the absence of confirmed broadcast agreements is highly unusual for an event of this scale. Typically, television rights for the World Cup are secured months, if not years, in advance of the opening match, ensuring global coverage is locked in well ahead of time.
According to local media reports in both India and China, negotiations between FIFA and potential broadcasters are still ongoing, with disagreements centring largely on the cost of rights. FIFA confirmed to the BBC that discussions in both countries are continuing but remain confidential, declining to provide details on the financial terms being negotiated.
So far, FIFA has secured broadcast agreements in around 180 territories worldwide. However, a small number of key markets—including India and China, which together account for roughly a third of the global population—remain without confirmed deals.
In China, reports suggest that FIFA initially proposed a rights fee of as much as $300 million to state broadcaster China Central Television (CCTV). However, that figure is believed to have been reduced to between $120 million and $150 million. Even at the lower range, the cost remains more than double CCTV’s allocated budget for the tournament, according to reports in state-controlled media.
Chinese officials have also pointed to structural challenges affecting viewership interest. The national team’s failure to qualify for the tournament is expected to dampen domestic enthusiasm, while the time difference between China and the host nation means many matches will be broadcast in the early hours of the morning.
Historically, FIFA and CCTV have reached agreements much earlier in the cycle. For instance, deals covering both the 2018 and 2022 World Cups were finalised in 2017, well ahead of those tournaments.
In India, while a deal has not yet been officially announced, local media reports indicate that negotiations are progressing and an agreement may be reached soon. However, until contracts are signed, millions of fans remain uncertain about access to live coverage.
Melissa Enoch
