The Delhi High Court has intervened in a critical situation concerning the broadcasting rights for the FIFA World Cup 2026 in India. With less than a month before the tournament kicks off on June 11, India currently has no official broadcaster, raising concerns among football fans.
Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav issued notices to the Central Government and Prasar Bharati following a writ petition filed by advocate Avdhesh Bairwa. The petition, under Article 226 of the Constitution, seeks court directions to ensure the tournament, running through July 19, is broadcast across India, particularly via free-to-air public platforms like Doordarshan and DD Sports.
Broadcasting Rights Impasse
The issue of broadcasting rights for the prestigious global football event has been escalating for months. FIFA initially valued the India rights package for both the 2026 and 2030 World Cups at approximately USD 100 million. However, after failing to attract serious interest from Indian broadcasters, this figure was significantly reduced to around USD 35 million.
Despite the substantial price cut, no final agreement has been reached. This impasse has created a scenario where one of the world's most-watched sporting events could go entirely unbroadcast in India, a country identified by FIFA itself as a top global engagement market during the 2022 World Cup.
Legal Obligation for Public Access
The writ petition emphasizes that the FIFA World Cup has been officially notified as a "sporting event of national importance" under the Sports Broadcasting Signals (Mandatory Sharing with Prasar Bharati) Act, 2007. This notification, the petitioner argues, places a legal obligation on both the government and Prasar Bharati to ensure public access to the event.
The plea further contends that Prasar Bharati possesses the necessary infrastructure, including DD Sports, DD Free Dish, and its WAVES OTT platform, to fulfill this obligation. Failure to broadcast the tournament, the petition suggests, would violate citizens' constitutional rights under Articles 14, 19(1)(a), and 21, which encompass the right to receive information through public broadcasting.
Senior Advocate Vaibhav Gaggar, leading the petitioner's legal team, presented the arguments. The court has issued notice to the respondents, and further hearings are anticipated in the coming days as the tournament rapidly approaches.