2026 World Cup Rights Stall in India, China

Millions of soccer fans in India and China, the world's two most populous countries, face the prospect of missing the 2026 World Cup after broadcast rights negotiations stalled in both nations, with the tournament set to begin on June 11.

In India, a joint venture between Reliance Industries and Disney offered $20 million for the rights, according to two sources familiar with the talks. FIFA had initially sought $100 million for the 2026 and 2030 tournaments but later reduced its asking price, though it rejected the lower bid. A third source said Sony Pictures Networks, which operates TV channels and a streaming service in India, held discussions with FIFA but ultimately declined to submit an offer, citing economic concerns.

No deal has been announced for China either, where state broadcaster CCTV has yet to secure rights despite its history of early agreements. In previous World Cups, including 2018 and 2022, CCTV finalized deals well in advance and launched promotional campaigns weeks before kickoff. CCTV did not respond to requests for comment.

The absence of agreements this close to the tournament, now just five weeks away, is highly unusual and leaves little time to...