Mumbai: Zee Entertainment Enterprises's FIFA World Cup acquisition is emerging as a direct subscription play, with the broadcaster avoiding telecom bundling deals for now as it seeks to drive users directly to ZEE5, according to industry executives.While Zee is already part of bundled plans with Airtel, Vi and Jio, FIFA World Cup viewers will have to buy dedicated FIFA packs. The broadcaster has launched two digital subscription plans priced at ₹799 for three months and ₹1,699 annually for access to the FIFA World Cup, alongside other ZEE5 content.Also Read | FIFA World Cup 2026 Schedule in Indian Time (IST) PDF: Check full fixtures, dates and kick-off timingsIndustry executives said Zee is not pursuing telecom partnerships for FIFA despite such bundles accounting for 50-80% of paid subscribers for most streaming platforms. Even JioHotstar relied heavily on telco partnerships during IPL 2025, accumulating 300 million paid subscribers at scale. However, FIFA matches will not be streamed in 4K, which is now standard for premium sports broadcasting globally.The strategy prioritises subscription growth over reach. Recent subscription gains at Zee have been driven by ZEE5, with FIFA expected to further boost the platform. Executives expect the ₹799 quarterly pack to see higher uptake than the annual plan.