Fifa is facing significant challenges securing broadcasting deals for the 2026 World Cup in two of the world’s largest and most populous markets, India and China, with the tournament less than a month away. The expanding 48-team format was partly aimed at increasing global appeal by including nations like India and China. However, as of early May 2026, no official agreements have been finalized in either country to broadcast the 104 scheduled matches.

Fifa had initially targeted fees of $100 million for Indian broadcast rights and $250 million to $300 million for China. Despite the asking prices decreasing over time, no contracts have been signed. In India, the price has reportedly dropped to about $35 million, while the highest formal bid from JioStar stands at $20 million. This contrasts sharply with previous tournaments where Sony paid $90 million in 2014 and Viacom18 spent $62 million for the 2018 World Cup.

Observers note that match scheduling, often cited as a reason for lack of interest due to late-night kickoffs in India, is not the primary issue. Shaji Prabhakaran, a member of the Asian Football Confederation’s executive committee and former general secretary of the All India Football Federation, argues that the timing is comparable to UEFA Champions League matches, which maintain strong viewership in India. Instead, he attributes the impasse to limited competition in the sports broadcasting market, financial constraints, and a lack of confidence in the sector. With Reliance and Disney’s merger shrinking the market to primarily JioStar and Sony, broadcasters are reluctant to invest heavily in a tournament featuring no Indian team and with many matches airing in inconvenient time slots.

Additionally, cricket remains the dominant sport in India, drawing the lion’s share of broadcasting focus and investment. Recent reports indicate a 26% decline in viewership for the Indian Premier League this season, signaling a broader hesitancy among broadcasters to allocate large sums to football rights. Currency depreciation has further complicated matters; the Indian rupee has weakened from 54 to the dollar in 2013 to 95 currently, increasing the effective cost of acquiring rights priced in dollars.

In China, the situation is similarly delicate but on a larger scale given the country’s massive TV and digital audience reach, which accounted for nearly 50% of global digital and social media audiences during the 2022 World Cup. Fifa’s initial asking price of up to $300 million reportedly exceeds the budget reportedly held by China Central Television (CCTV), the state broadcaster traditionally responsible for World Cup coverage, which is estimated between $60 million and $80 million. Speculation suggests a potential downwardly revised price in the $120 million to $150 million range, but a deal remains elusive.

Factors contributing to the standoff include the significant time difference between China and the host country, reducing peak advertising value, and the underperformance of the Chinese national team, which has dampened broad public interest. Social media in China reflects support for CCTV’s caution, with younger fans reportedly circumventing internet restrictions to view matches independently. Fifa has dispatched senior officials to Beijing in an attempt to finalize an agreement imminently, while negotiations in India are expected to continue into the coming weeks.

This unresolved situation poses a headache for Fifa President Gianni Infantino, raising concerns about the broader implications if India and China secure substantial discounts so close to the tournament. Prabhakaran warns that maintaining the commercial value of broadcast rights is crucial to avoid negative consequences for the global market. Nonetheless, failing to secure deals in markets representing over a third of the world’s population before kick-off is a significant challenge for Fifa’s broader expansion ambitions.