FIFA has not finalized broadcast rights agreements for the 2026 World Cup in India or China with approximately five weeks remaining before the tournament begins on June 11, 2026. The absence of confirmed deals in the two markets means millions of football fans in both countries may be unable to watch the competition.

FIFA has concluded agreements with broadcasters in at least 175 territories globally, but no deal has been announced in either India or China. The remaining window leaves limited time for broadcast agreements to be finalized, broadcast infrastructure to be set up and advertising inventory to be sold.

FIFA issued a statement on the status of negotiations in both countries. "Discussions in China and India regarding the sale of media rights for the FIFA World Cup 2026 are ongoing and must remain confidential at this stage," FIFA said.

The lack of a confirmed broadcast agreement with either country is unusual at this stage of the pre-tournament cycle. In the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, Chinese state broadcaster CCTV secured the rights well in advance and began airing promotional content and sponsor-driven advertisements weeks before the tournament.

China represents a substantial share of FIFA's global digital audience. According to FIFA, China accounted for 49.8 percent of all hours of viewing on digital and social platforms globally during the 2022 World Cup. India is also among the world's most populous markets for the sport, and no broadcast deal has been announced there either.

Without finalized agreements in India and China, viewers in both countries face uncertainty over how, or whether, they will be able to follow matches when the 2026 tournament kicks off on June 11.