As per the agreement, Zee will air 39 FIFA events from 2026 to 2034, which includes the FIFA World Cup 2026, FIFA World Cup 2030, and FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027. The partnership also encompasses various youth, futsal, and intercontinental competitions, as well as documentary features related to the events.
This initiative signifies a substantial enhancement of Zee’s sports portfolio as the broadcaster aims to bolster its position in premium live sports content. The company will present FIFA events through its television network and streaming platform Zee5, in addition to launching four dedicated sports channels — Unite8 Sports 1, Unite8 Sports 1 HD, Unite8 Sports 2, and Unite8 Sports 2 HD.
The first major event to be featured under this partnership is the FIFA World Cup 2026, which is set to commence on June 11 next year.
Chief Executive Officer Punit Goenka emphasized that football has long-term growth prospects and aligns with the company’s strategy of investing in scalable sports properties that have strong audience appeal.
Additionally, the FIFA partnership will provide Zee access to tournaments like the FIFA U-17 World Cup, FIFA U-20 World Cup, FIFA Women’s U-17 World Cup, and FIFA Intercontinental Cup, among others, until 2034.
For FIFA, this collaboration opens the door to one of the world’s largest media markets. FIFA Chief Business Officer Romy Gai noted that India represents a strategically significant market with a burgeoning and youthful football fanbase.
In the wake of the announcement, shares of Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited reached an intraday high of ₹99.80, reflecting an approximate 7% increase on the NSE.
