It's almost unthinkable for most countries to not show the World Cup.
With one month remaining before the world's largest sporting event kicks off, hundreds of millions of fans across Asia's most populous nations find themselves in an unusual limbo — uncertain whether they will witness history from their own living rooms. The collision between FIFA's commercial ambitions and the economic logic of broadcasting matches at three in the morning reveals how global spectacle and local reality do not always align. Yet the deeper pattern here is familiar: in the theater of rights negotiations, the curtain almost always rises before the opening whistle, because the cost of silence — political, commercial, and cultural — is greater than the cost of compromise.
- China and India, home to nearly three billion people, have no confirmed broadcast deals just weeks before the tournament begins — a gap so large it strains credibility.
- The math is punishing: marquee matches falling at 3 a.m. in Beijing and 12:30 a.m. in New Delhi drain advertising value and give broadcasters real leverage to push FIFA's asking price sharply downward.
- Thailand's government scrambled to reassure citizens of free access after the World Cup lost its protected status on national television, echoing a last-minute deal pattern that cost the country a reported $33 million in 2022.
- FIFA insists agreements are sealed in over 175 countries and that remaining talks are confidential — a posture that signals deals are close but not yet closed.
- Sports business analysts argue the crisis is largely theatrical: governments will intervene rather than face public backlash, and FIFA will bend rather than lose billions of viewers to piracy.
One month before the opening whistle, hundreds of millions of soccer fans across Asia still don't know whether they'll be able to watch the World Cup from home. China, India, and Thailand — three of the world's most soccer-passionate markets — have yet to finalize broadcast agreements for a tournament that begins June 11. The uncertainty exposes a fundamental tension between FIFA's record-breaking ambitions and the economic realities of selling rights to regions where the matches air in the dead of night.
The timing problem is severe. In Beijing, both the opening match and the final kick off at 3 a.m. In New Delhi, it's 12:30 a.m. Without prime-time slots, casual viewers stay in bed, advertisers won't pay premium rates, and broadcasters can't justify FIFA's asking price. India's JioStar reportedly offered $20 million for the rights; FIFA originally sought $100 million for the 2026 and 2030 tournaments combined. The gap remains wide. India isn't even competing in the tournament, yet interest runs deep — and China's stakes are higher still, having accounted for nearly half of all digital viewing during the 2022 Qatar World Cup.
Thailand's situation carries its own complications. After the country removed the World Cup from its must-carry list last year, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul stepped in this week to promise fans free access, echoing a familiar pattern: Thailand struck a last-minute $33 million deal just before the 2022 tournament began. Malaysia moved faster, confirming coverage through its national broadcaster and Unifi TV after reported behind-the-scenes negotiations.
Sports business analysts are largely calm. James Walton of Deloitte Asia Pacific told AFP that this cycle repeats itself every four years — broadcasters negotiate hard, governments weigh political risk, and deals materialize. FIFA, for its part, says agreements are in place across more than 175 countries and that remaining talks are confidential. For fans in Asia's largest markets, that assurance offers cold comfort. The waiting continues.
One month before the opening whistle, hundreds of millions of soccer fans across Asia still don't know if they'll be able to watch the World Cup from home. China, India, and Thailand—three of the world's most soccer-obsessed regions—have yet to finalize broadcast agreements for the tournament, which kicks off June 11 with Mexico facing South Africa. The uncertainty reflects a collision between FIFA's ambitions for a record-breaking event and the economic realities of selling rights to markets where the timing makes viewing nearly impossible.
The math is brutal. In Beijing and Shanghai, the opening match and the final both start at 3 a.m. In New Delhi, it's 12:30 a.m. A few games will air at more reasonable hours, but the marquee matchups—the ones that drive viewership and justify the cost of broadcast rights—fall squarely in the middle of the night. Sandeep Goyal, chairman of the advertising agency Rediffusion, explained the cascading problem to AFP: without prime-time slots, casual viewers won't tune in, which means broadcasters can't sell advertising at premium rates, which means they can't justify paying what FIFA is asking. The Indian media conglomerate JioStar has offered $20 million for the rights. FIFA originally wanted $100 million for both the 2026 and 2030 tournaments combined. The gap is enormous, and it's not closing quickly.
India's situation is particularly stark because the country is not even competing in the tournament. Yet interest runs deep. China's position is even more striking: the country accounted for nearly half of all digital and social media viewing during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, according to FIFA's own data. Nearly three billion people live in China and India combined. For FIFA, losing these markets—or even delaying their broadcast deals—represents a massive revenue problem and a public relations headache. State media in China has noted that historically, the national broadcaster CCTV has locked in World Cup rights well in advance, allowing time for promotion and advertising campaigns. This time, silence.
Thailand presents a different kind of complication. The country has never qualified for the World Cup, yet soccer is wildly popular there. Last June, Thailand's National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission removed the World Cup from its "must-have" list, meaning the tournament no longer has a guaranteed slot on free-to-air television. The move sparked enough concern that Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul felt compelled to reassure the public this week, promising that his administration would not break with tradition by denying fans free access. Thailand's last-minute scramble for 2022 rights—a reported $33 million deal struck just before the tournament began—suggests this cycle may repeat itself.
Malaysia, by contrast, moved quickly. The communications ministry announced Wednesday that the national broadcaster Radio Televisyen Malaysia and Unifi TV will carry the tournament, though local media reports suggest there was significant haggling behind closed doors before the deal materialized.
Experts in sports business say the headlines about millions of fans being locked out are overblown. James Walton, a sports business leader at Deloitte Asia Pacific, told AFP that this pattern repeats every World Cup cycle in some countries. Broadcasters are trying to negotiate the best possible deal, balancing the cost of rights against potential advertising revenue or public benefit. FIFA, meanwhile, knows this is a one-time opportunity to sell a time-sensitive package. "The reality is that it's almost unthinkable for most countries to not show the World Cup," Walton said. Governments will step in if necessary because they understand the political risk of denying their citizens access to the sport's biggest event. FIFA will also ensure maximum coverage because sponsors are counting on it, and the organization wants to avoid driving viewers toward piracy.
When asked about the unsettled rights situation, FIFA responded that it had already sealed agreements with broadcasters in more than 175 countries. "Discussions in a few remaining markets regarding the sale of media rights for the FIFA World Cup 2026 are ongoing and must remain confidential at this stage," the organization said. The statement amounts to a holding pattern: deals are coming, FIFA insists, but not yet. For fans in Asia's largest markets, the waiting continues.
Notable Quotes
The first problem is of match timings. The bigger, better matches are at 12:30 a.m. or 3:30 a.m. Except die-hard soccer fans, match viewership is likely to be low in India.— Sandeep Goyal, chairman of advertising agency Rediffusion
Previous governments ensured free access to the World Cup, and my administration should not be an exception.— Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
Why would FIFA price broadcast rights so high when they know the timing is terrible for these markets?
Because FIFA is selling a global package, and they're anchoring their price to what wealthy Western markets will pay. They're not thinking regionally—they're thinking about total revenue. The timing problem is Asia's problem to solve, not theirs.
But if China and India don't get deals, doesn't that hurt FIFA?
Enormously. China alone was nearly half of all digital viewing in 2022. But FIFA also knows these governments can't afford the political cost of their citizens missing the World Cup. So there's a game of chicken happening—FIFA waiting for broadcasters to cave, broadcasters waiting for FIFA to lower the price.
Why is Thailand's situation different from India's?
Thailand removed the World Cup from its "must-have" list, which changed the negotiating dynamic. Suddenly it's not a public service obligation—it's a commercial choice. That gave the government more flexibility, but also more risk. The prime minister had to personally promise fans wouldn't be shut out.
Will these deals actually get done before June 11?
Almost certainly. No government wants the backlash of blocking the World Cup. And FIFA needs the coverage for sponsors. But it'll probably come down to the wire, like Thailand in 2022.
What does this say about how FIFA values different parts of the world?
It says FIFA prices based on what the richest markets will pay, then expects everyone else to figure it out. The timing problem—3 a.m. in Beijing—is treated as Asia's problem, not FIFA's problem.