Zee Share Price: Zee Entertainment Enterprises declared on Monday that it had formally obtained the rights to broadcast and stream the 2026 FIFA World Cup in India. While this news came as a huge relief to the fans of the tournament, it turned out to be a huge boost to the media company as well. Following the announcement, an upward tick was noticed in the stock prices of Zee Entertainment. The expanded 48-team format competition is set to begin on June 11 across the US, Mexico, and Canada. ZEEL’s recently established Unite8 Sports channels will broadcast games, and Zee5 will offer live streaming.
Shares of Zee Entertainment Enterprises initially surged as much as 6.4% following the announcement. The stock later pared some gains but remained firmly in the green, trading 5.8% higher at Rs 98.51 at 2:38 pm on Monday. The agreement also gives the broadcaster rights to several future FIFA tournaments, including the FIFA World Cup 2030 and multiple men’s, women’s and youth competitions.
FIFA World Cup 2026 Broadcast in India is a huge boost for Zee Entertainment
Attaining the FIFA World Cup 2026 broadcast rights came as a huge boost for Zee Entertainment. In the last few years the company has faced some tough competition in the media sspace from JioStar (Star Sports and Jio Hotstar) and Sony LIV. However, these rights could help them make a mark in the sports broadcasting injdustry. Speaking on attaining the media rights for the tournament, Zee Entertainment CEO, Punit Goenka said, “We are excited to bring one of the world’s biggest sporting spectacles to Indian audiences. Football cuts across regions and demographics, and the investments in garnering the media rights and launching dedicated sports channels, reflect our clear belief in its long-term potential. Our approach has been to invest in properties where we see current relevance and future growth potential.”
FIFA to earn millions from India?
While the exact amount for which the broadcast for the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026 and other events by the organisation till 2034 was not announced it is being reported the FIFA will earn roughly $30 to $35 million from the sale of media rights. Talking about the size of the Indian market, FIFA Chief Business Officer, Romy Gai said, “The Indian market is of strategic importance for FIFA as it displays immense potential driven by a young and passionate audience. We believe the extensive broadcast and digital distribution ecosystem of ‘Z’ coupled with their deep understanding of local viewers and multi-platform capabilities will play a pivotal role in expanding the reach of football with fans across every part of India.”
Pragun is a passionate cricket follower and writer who deeply loves the game. Having completed his education with a degree in Journalism and Mass Communication, he has an experience of almost two years in diverse fields. He is known for his statistical and analytical articles. Pragun tries to bring life to his articles by adding a layer of enthusiasm from the perspective of a hardcore fan. Apart from writing cricket articles, he sometimes appears on YouTube videos on a friend’s podcast.
