New Delhi: Prasar Bharati has opposed a petition seeking direction for the broadcast of the FIFA World Cup 2026 in India through the public broadcaster. The World Cup is scheduled to be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico from June 11 to July 19.
Prasar Bharati's lawyer submitted that judicial intervention at this stage was unwarranted, as discussions between FIFA and broadcasters were still ongoing. However, the petitioner's lawyer countered that such a stance defeated the legislative intent behind the Sports Broadcasting Signals (mandatory sharing with Prasar Bharati) Act, 2007.
The petition sought direction for the interim telecast of eight matches on free-to-air platforms. However, the court dismissed the petition after the petitioner withdrew it.
The petitioner argued that India is among FIFA's largest viewership markets, with 745.7 million interactions during the 2022 World Cup. They urged the court to direct the authorities to secure broadcast rights for all 104 matches of the tournament.
