Why FIFA Is Struggling to Sell World Cup Rights in India and China
FIFA allegedly asked for $120m–$300m from China and $100m from India for the exclusive streaming rights
In recent years, the relationship between FIFA, the international governing body of association football, and broadcasters in major Asian markets like India and China has faced significant strain. As FIFA seeks to maximize its commercial revenue from global tournaments, most notably the FIFA World Cup. It has encountered stiff resistance regarding its valuation of media rights in these territories.
The Situation in China and India
China has historically been one of FIFA's most profitable growth markets. However, the landscape has shifted due to several factors. A slowdown in the Chinese economy has led to reduced advertising spend by major brands, affecting broadcaster’s ability to pay premium prices at the same time viewers focus has shifted from the game since China and India both did not qualify for the tournament this season(2026) lessening the local demand and interests. FIFA allegedly asked for $120m–$300m from China and $100m from India for the exclusive streaming rights. Both the countries are reluctant to pay the higher prices demanded by FIFA. However, in India Reliance-Disney joint venture offered them around $20m, finding higher prices unjustifiable due to low expected returns which the FIFA rejected. Broadcasters in India argued that football’s reach in India is still less compared to cricket and the Indian Premier League(IPL).
Reasons for the Standoff
The timing of World Cup matches (often late at night in Asian countries) limits the prime-time advertising slots, making it harder for broadcasters to recover high licensing fees.
Hence, India counters by stating that the Indian population might be sleeping at the time of the Broadcast. The disputes highlight a broader trend where emerging markets are no longer willing to pay higher prices without clear commercial returns. While FIFA secured deals with 175+countries, the negotiations between FIFA and India – China are becoming increasingly conflicting as Asian broadcasters prioritize financial sustainability over broadcasting rights at any cost. China and India consist of more than 1/3 rd of the world population with them being out FIFA might face a decline in their projected viewership and revenue this year.
This article is written by Divya Sharma, a student of Kristu Jayanti Deemed to be University, interning with Deccan Chronicle.
