FIFA faces potential World Cup TV blackout in China and India as opener nears
FIFA is facing the prospect of a World Cup television blackout in the world’s two most populous countries, with no broadcast agreements yet in place for China or India. The absence of deals could leave more than a third of the planet’s population without access to the tournament.
In India, FIFA sought £74 million for broadcast rights, a 67% increase on the cost for Qatar 2022. The highest offer so far, from Reliance-Disney, has been less than £15 million, and no agreement has been reached. In China, no broadcast partner has been announced even though only five weeks remain before the tournament opens in Mexico City on June 11.
Previous World Cups have been carried by the state network CCTV, which has extensive reach across the country. Together, China and India account for more than 2.8 billion people out of a global total of 8.2 billion. While neither market is considered as large as leading European television markets, FIFA under Gianni Infantino has sought to broaden football’s global reach.
Scheduling is also a hurdle for Indian viewers: most matches in the United States, Canada and Mexico would air in the middle of the night locally, with Mumbai four and a half hours ahead of London. Football interest in India still trails cricket, and the IPL final is scheduled for May 31, just 11 days before the World Cup begins.
In China, despite an estimated 200 million football fans, the practical collapse of the Chinese Super League has made broadcasters less willing to invest large sums. With the countdown to kickoff underway, broadcast arrangements in both countries remain unresolved.