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Fri, 08 May 2026

Fri, 08 May 2026 World Cup fans in China and India face broadcast uncertainty

Broadcasters in the two countries have yet to reach deals with Fifa, just weeks before the tournament is due to start.
In China, a state-controlled newspaper reported that FIFA's initial offer was $300m but has been lowered to $120-150m, which is more than double CCTV's budget. China has not qualified for the tournament, so interest among fans may be lower, and games will also be shown at inconvenient times due to the time difference. In India, no deal has been struck yet, but local media report that a deal is likely to be announced soon. A total of 180 territories have completed deals with FIFA.