Mumbai: Zee Entertainment Enterprises is betting long-term on football at a time when cricket economics are becoming increasingly difficult even for large broadcasters, wagering that FIFA media rights can help build a long-term sports business in India despite uncertain monetisation prospects for the 2026 World Cup.The broadcaster has secured FIFA media rights in India through 2034, including the men's FIFA World Cups in 2026 and 2034, the Women's World Cup and several other international tournaments too, marking its biggest sports investment in years after the UAE-based cricket league International League T20 (ILT20), for which it has committed $100-150 million over 10 years through 2032.The move reflects a broader shift in India's sports broadcasting market, where soaring costs for IPL, ICC and BCCI media rights, estimated at nearly $10 billion collectively, have forced broadcasters to rethink strategy as returns lag investments."If we want to get into sports, then we need to leave cricket behind and find other sports that are relevant to this country and that we can build," Zee Entertainment CEO Punit Goenka told ET, describing football as "the youth's sport today."For Zee, football offers a premium global sports property at a fraction of cricket's cost. According to TAM Sports, football recorded cumulative viewership of 300 million across television and digital platforms in 2025, making it one of India's largest non-cricket sports categories, though advertiser spending is heavily skewed toward cricket.