With the tournament a month away, there are still no agreements done with the two Asian giants to ensure fans there can watch all 104 games
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hen Fifa expanded the World Cup from 32 to 48 teams, it was in the hope that countries such as India and China, with their 2.7 billion residents, would qualify rather than countries such as Cape Verde and Curaçao, whose combined population of about 700,000 barely equals a district of a megacity such as Mumbai or Shanghai. What the governing body did not account for was that, with the 2026 tournament a month away, there would be no broadcasting deals done with the two Asian giants to ensure fans there can watch the 104 games.
A few months ago, Fifa was said to be offering this World Cup, and the next, to New Delhi and Beijing for respective sums of $100m (£73m) and between $250m and $300m. There have been no deals struck despite the asking price falling steadily.
In India, it has reportedly dropped to $35m. The closest bid is the $20m put forward by JioStar. On the face of it, it is a surprise. For the 2014 and 2018 competitions, Sony shelled out $90m, then Viacom18 paid $62m to show the action from Qatar.
