According to foreign media reports on May 11, the prolonged uncertainty surrounding the 2026 World Cup broadcast rights in China has sparked serious concern among several major Chinese sponsors, including dairy giant Mengniu, which has already invested heavily as an official partner. Sources indicate that FIFA has yet to finalize a broadcast rights agreement with Chinese media outlets, leaving sponsors worried that if the tournament is not aired properly in China, their brand exposure and overall marketing returns could be severely impacted.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino has described the upcoming men’s World Cup as the most “inclusive” in history. However, for fans in China and India, that claim may ring hollow because they might not even be able to watch the matches live.
The deadlock in television rights negotiations threatens to exclude nearly 3 billion potential viewers worldwide, contrasting sharply with FIFA’s stated goal of “global openness and inclusiveness” and casting a shadow over its expansion strategy in emerging markets.
FIFA expects to generate around $8.9 billion in revenue this year, largely driven by the World Cup in North America, featuring stars like Kylian Mbappé and Harry Kane. One of the biggest revenue streams is broadcast rights sales, which are projected to reach $3.9 billion, nearly one-third of total revenue and about a third higher than the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
However, this growth appears contradictory. Data shows that from 2014 to 2022, the proportion of global TV viewers relative to the total population did not significantly increase. While billions of people theoretically have access to the tournament, the actual number watching at least 20 minutes via traditional television has not expanded notably.
The 2026 tournament will expand from 32 to 48 teams, and FIFA hopes to boost revenue by increasing the number of participants and matches. Yet, China has still failed to qualify for the expanded World Cup, and India, as usual, did not make the final stage.
More critically, FIFA seems to have underestimated the genuine demand for broadcast rights in the world’s two most populous countries. In China, negotiations have hit a snag. According to the Beijing Daily, FIFA initially demanded around $300 million for Chinese broadcast rights, a price rejected by China Central Television (CCTV). Subsequently, on May 8, Chinese media outlet The Paper reported that FIFA reduced its offer by about half, but talks still haven’t reached an agreement. Moreover, the late-night match times could limit viewing convenience for Chinese audiences.
In India, the situation is similarly deadlocked. Reuters reported, citing informed sources, that a joint venture between Reliance Industries and Disney offered about $20 million, but FIFA considers that too low to accept. Notably, Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Group, after teaming up with Disney in 2024, holds a strong position in the Indian media market, giving it significant bargaining power and an inclination to keep bids low.
The broadcast rights impasse is worrying multiple World Cup commercial partners. Chinese companies such as dairy giant Mengniu and TV manufacturer Hisense have together invested about $500 million in sponsorship for this year’s tournament. If the event cannot be broadcast properly in China, the exposure value of these massive investments will be directly affected.
Meanwhile, global brands like Adidas and Coca-Cola also face risks, potentially missing critical marketing windows in China and India. According to FIFA data, during the 2022 World Cup, China ranked first globally in terms of TV viewership, with about 510 million people watching via traditional television. India ranked ninth, with about 84 million viewers. Together, they contributed 22.6% of global digital streaming viewership.
Despite the current tension, sports history shows that political and commercial differences can sometimes be eased through sporting events. Reports note that China and the NBA gradually restored cooperation after years of friction, and international sports exchanges often serve as bridges for diplomatic rapprochement.
Additionally, the recent meeting between the U.S. president and Chinese leaders in Beijing is seen as a potential positive signal. If parties are willing to renegotiate, the broadcast rights issue could still be resolved.
However, this situation sounds an alarm for the entire Western sports business model. Major listed clubs like Manchester United, valued at over $3 billion, have long assumed that Asia’s demographic dividend would continue to drive sports commercial growth, especially as TV markets in Europe and North America stagnate. But if even the world’s most influential event, the World Cup, struggles to secure ideal broadcast conditions in China and India, then lower-tier events and leagues may face greater challenges in future Asian market expansion.
As of now, FIFA has reached broadcast agreements with over 175 regions worldwide, but China and India remain unresolved. FIFA stated in a press release: “Negotiations regarding the media rights for the 2026 World Cup in China and India are still ongoing and must remain confidential at this stage.”
Data from the 2022 World Cup shows that China accounted for 17.7% of global TV audience coverage, and India 2.9%. Together, they represented 22.6% of global digital streaming viewership. Losing these two markets would significantly impact the tournament’s overall reach.