FIFA has secured a new broadcast agreement in Georgia for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with pay-TV broadcaster Setanta Sports acquiring rights to all 104 matches of the tournament. Under the deal, every game will be available free-to-air for registered users through Setanta’s OTT platform, marking a major expansion compared to previous editions.
The agreement comes as FIFA continues to face significant difficulties selling media rights across several Asian markets, where unfavorable time zones linked to the North American-hosted tournament are impacting broadcaster interest and commercial valuations.
The expanded 48-team World Cup will take place across the United States, Canada, and Mexico from June 11 to July 19, 2026. While Georgia’s national team failed to qualify for the tournament, Setanta will replace the country’s public-service broadcaster, which held rights for the 2018 and 2022 editions.
Setanta Sports executive director Bacha Malazonia described the acquisition as both a responsibility and an opportunity, emphasizing that free access to all matches would help attract both loyal viewers and new audiences.
India emerges as FIFA’s biggest unresolved market
FIFA’s largest ongoing concern remains India, which is currently the last major television market without a finalized World Cup broadcast agreement despite the tournament approaching rapidly.
The governing body initially hoped to generate around $100 million from Indian rights packages covering both the 2026 and 2030 World Cups. However, reports now suggest FIFA may have to settle for less than $35 million in total.
Negotiations are currently centered around Indian media giants JioStar and Zee. Viacom18, now part of JioStar, previously held the 2022 World Cup rights after reportedly paying more than $60 million for that edition alone. That tournament, hosted in Qatar, benefited from significantly more favorable viewing times for Indian audiences.
By contrast, most matches in the 2026 tournament will be played during overnight or early morning hours in Asia, reducing advertising value and expected audience reach. JioStar is reportedly unwilling to move beyond a valuation between $20 million and $25 million, forcing FIFA to lower expectations dramatically.
According to Indian media reports, a formal agreement is still expected soon, although negotiations have been ongoing since mid-2025. Other broadcasters including Sony and FanCode have reportedly declined to enter the bidding process, while state broadcaster Prasar Bharati is exploring options for a free-to-air package.
Bangladesh and Thailand add to FIFA’s concerns
Broadcast uncertainty is also affecting Bangladesh and Thailand.
In Bangladesh, Singapore-based company Springbok surrendered its World Cup rights after missing multiple payment deadlines and failing to secure a resale agreement with state broadcaster BTV. The original deal was reportedly worth $7.2 million.
FIFA has since lowered its asking price to approximately $5 million, while discussions continue with a consortium involving Bangladeshi broadcasters T Sports and Star News alongside a Dubai-based company.
Thailand presents another complicated scenario. FIFA is reportedly seeking between $39.8 million and $52 million for rights in the country, but the Thai government has already ruled out using public funds to acquire the package.
Complicating matters further, Thai regulations require World Cup matches to be available free-to-air, despite the limited commercial value created by kick-off times scheduled in the early morning hours for local audiences.
Time zones reshape FIFA’s global media strategy
The challenges across Asia highlight one of the major commercial risks tied to a North American World Cup. While the tournament is expected to generate record global revenues overall, broadcasters in several Asian territories are struggling to justify premium investments due to reduced primetime visibility.
Despite these issues, FIFA has secured some key regional agreements, including a multi-year World Cup deal with Chinese state broadcaster CCTV earlier this month.
Still, with kickoff approaching and major Asian negotiations unresolved, the 2026 World Cup media rights cycle is becoming one of the most complicated commercial sales processes FIFA has faced in recent years.