FIFA officials visit India amid stalled World Cup talks with Reliance-Disney

FIFA media rights officials are in India this week, as of May 18, to address the absence of a broadcast deal for next month’s World Cup, people familiar with the matter said. With the tournament scheduled to kick off on June 11, the impasse has raised concern that millions of viewers in India may be left without TV coverage if negotiations do not advance. Discussions have centered on pricing for the rights package. Stakeholders have not indicated when a resolution might be reached.

Talks between FIFA and the Reliance-Disney joint venture, India’s largest media company, have stalled over valuation, according to people briefed on the discussions. The venture is understood to have offered about $20 million for the rights, while FIFA initially sought around $100 million and more recently was looking for roughly $60 million. Another major broadcaster, Sony, has not submitted a bid.

FIFA said agreements have been concluded with broadcasters in more than 180 territories and that negotiations in India remain ongoing and confidential. The governing body has not disclosed who its executives are meeting in India or the composition of any proposed packages under discussion.

India represented 2.9% of the global linear TV reach during the 2022 World Cup. Football has an audience of about 85 million fans in the country but trails cricket’s roughly 492 million, according to a 2024 report by Deloitte and Google. That gap shapes advertiser interest and could influence price expectations on both sides.

India media landscape and bidder field

Reliance-Disney valuation gap and bid status

The Reliance-Disney joint venture remains the key potential buyer given its scale across television and streaming in India. Its previously tabled $20 million offer has not met FIFA’s expectations, people familiar with the talks said. While FIFA lowered its target from an initial $100 million closer to about $60 million, no agreement has been reached. It is not clear whether FIFA’s visiting delegation is meeting the Reliance-Disney team this week. The venture declined to comment.

Who is in — and who is not

Aside from Reliance-Disney, other serious bids have not emerged publicly. Sony, another major player in the Indian sports rights market, has refrained from bidding to date, according to people aware of the process. The lack of competing offers may be limiting price discovery in the final weeks before the tournament.

Time pressure and recent regional precedent

Compressed window to finalize and deliver

The World Cup begins on June 11, leaving roughly three weeks to finalize a deal, arrange broadcast operations and distribution, and secure advertising commitments. Broadcasters typically require lead time to promote coverage, book sponsors and configure technical workflows; a last-minute agreement would compress those timelines.

China’s agreement shows late deals are possible

Last week, China Media Group, the parent of China’s state broadcaster, reached a World Cup broadcasting agreement, ending a deadlock there. That outcome underscores that late resolutions can be achieved, but India’s market dynamics and viewership profile differ, and there is no indication yet of an imminent breakthrough.

All parties face mounting pressure to close a deal that balances reach and commercial return. Talks are expected to continue in the coming days, with attention on whether a rights package can be concluded in time for uninterrupted coverage in India.