FIFA has formally opened the bidding process for media rights across the Indian subcontinent for its next two global tournaments — the 2026 and 2030 Men’s FIFA World Cups, and the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup (WWC). This move signals both a commercial reset and a growing recognition of the subcontinent’s strategic value, even as no national teams from the region are expected to participate.
Two Separate Rights Packages on Offer
FIFA has split the tender into two distinct processes:
- Men’s Tournaments (2026 and 2030)
- Women’s World Cup 2027
The men’s 2026 edition — co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico — will be the largest in history, while the 2030 edition features a pan-continental format with matches spread across Spain, Morocco, and Portugal, along with celebratory fixtures in South America.
Meanwhile, the 2027 Women’s World Cup will take place in Brazil, marking the first time the women’s tournament heads to South American soil. It’s also anticipated to be one of the most commercially ambitious women’s events ever held.
Target Markets: Commercial Potential Without On-Field Presence
The rights are up for grabs in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, and the Maldives. None of these nations made it past the second round of qualifying for the 2026 men’s edition, and the women’s teams will compete for 2027 qualification at the AFC Women’s Asian Cup in March 2026.
Still, from FIFA’s perspective, the subcontinent presents vast audience volume, digital growth potential, and an increasingly competitive broadcast market. For advertisers and platforms, this is an opportunity to capture attention at a continental scale, even in the absence of local representation on the pitch.
Previous World Cup Rights Holders: A Fragmented History
For the 2022 Men’s World Cup in Qatar, Viacom18 held rights across the region, facilitated by Infront — FIFA’s then-rights distributor. The partnership marked a digital-forward, India-centric approach with an emphasis on Jio’s growing streaming ecosystem.
The 2023 Women’s World Cup, held in Australia and New Zealand, saw 1Stadia acquire subcontinent rights. The firm then syndicated coverage across multiple outlets — including India’s Doordarshan, the state broadcaster — in a fragmented distribution model that underscored both opportunity and volatility.
Bidding Timelines and Strategic Considerations
FIFA has set a September 2 deadline (10 AM CET) for submission of proposals. Interested broadcasters can request tender documentation via:
- fwc26-media-rights@fifa.org (for men’s tournaments)
- fwwc2027-media-rights@fifa.org (for the women’s tournament)
The governing body has been actively releasing market-specific tenders globally. In Canada, a tender for the 2027 WWC closed earlier this month. In Germany, telecom major Deutsche Telekom recently secured a bundled deal covering both men’s and women’s FIFA competitions, showcasing FIFA’s increasing focus on cross-event packaging.
Strategic Outlook: More Than Just a Broadcast Deal
This isn’t merely about screening football — it’s about positioning. Rights holders will be expected to create immersive, multiplatform experiences that tap into:
- The mass digital consumption patterns of Gen Z and Gen Alpha
- A new wave of women’s sports storytelling
- Cross-over appeal from global pop culture to regional fandoms
For FIFA, the Indian subcontinent may not be a sporting stronghold — yet — but as a media and marketing territory, it’s fast becoming non-negotiable.
At 365247, we’ll be tracking the winners of this bid process — and how they activate the rights — with a close eye. Because when it comes to global football, what happens off the pitch is just as decisive as what happens on it.
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IMAGE: AP
