The FIFA World Cup is supposed to be the biggest celebration in football. A month where sleep schedules disappear, houses turn into mini stadiums, and entire streets suddenly become Argentina, Brazil or Portugal fan zones. But as things stand right now, football fans in India and China still do not officially know where they can watch the tournament, Gulf News reported.
And honestly, for someone who grew up in Kerala where football is treated almost like a religion, this is genuinely sad news. World Cup season in Kerala is not just about football. It is festival mood. People gather in nearby homes, clubs and community halls to watch matches together deep into the night.
I still remember all of us sitting together in a club and cheering for Argentina, Brazil, Portugal or even Ivory Coast, screaming at every goal like our lives depended on it. The trolls, the banter, the jersey debates, the midnight tea breaks and everyone acting like a football expert for one month straight, those are memories many of us still carry from every World Cup.
The thought of the World Cup not having a confirmed broadcaster in India this close to kickoff feels unreal.
According to multiple reports, negotiations in India have hit a deadlock mainly because of valuation disagreements between broadcasters and FIFA.
Reports claim the Reliance Disney joint venture JioStar offered around $20 million for the rights package, but FIFA reportedly rejected the bid. FIFA is said to have initially wanted around $100 million for both the 2026 and 2030 World Cups.
Broadcasters are also believed to be worried about the commercial side of things. Since the tournament will be hosted in North America, many matches are expected to happen past midnight in India. So they worry that the viewership will be comparatively low. On top of that, a huge chunk of advertising money is already locked into cricket properties.
There are still reports suggesting Prasar Bharati and DD Sports could enter late discussions with FIFA, but nothing official has been confirmed yet. Even if it happens, it’s unlikely that they will show all the matches. In that case, most of them might rely on illegal streaming sites.
The China situation is equally surprising
FIFA has reportedly said discussions are ongoing but confidential. Normally, state broadcaster CCTV secures World Cup rights months in advance and starts heavy promotion well before the tournament. This time, there has been complete silence so far.
What makes it even bigger is the scale of the Chinese audience. China reportedly contributed nearly half of the global digital viewing hours during the last World Cup, making the absence of a broadcast agreement a massive commercial concern.
FIFA says deals are already completed across more than 175 territories worldwide. But with India and China still unresolved just weeks before kickoff, two of the world’s biggest football audiences remain left waiting.
This expanded FIFA World Cup will feature 48 teams, and neither India nor China have qualified for it. But that does not mean there is no interest in football in these countries. Both nations have massive populations and there are regions where people are absolutely crazy about the sport. Hopefully, a solution is found because millions of fans should not miss out on football’s biggest festival.
bd-pratidin/GR
