Unite8 Sports has secured TV rights for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in India, ending months of uncertainty for fans. Matches will air with Hindi commentary on Unite8 Sports 1/1 HD and English on Unite8 Sports 2/2 HD, with some games on Zee Cinema. Packs start at ₹7 per month, while all fixtures will also stream live on Zee5 across devices.
After months of guessing and rumours, Indian football fans finally know where they’ll be watching the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Zee Entertainment has picked up the TV rights and will be showcased live on Unite8 Sports, while every match will be streamed live on Zee5. TV subscription packs start at ₹7 a month before taxes.
The tournament will be shown on four main TV channels. Hindi commentary will air on Unite8 Sports 1 and Unite8 Sports 1 HD, while English coverage will be on Unite8 Sports 2 and Unite8 Sports 2 HD. On some busy matchdays with two big games back to back, a few fixtures will also spill over to Zee Cinema. Fans who prefer regional coverage can tune into Zee Bangla Sonar for Bangla commentary and Zee Keralam for Malayalam.
Unite8 Sports has also shared its channel pricing. Unite8 Sports 1 is ₹7 a month and the HD version is ₹9; Unite8 Sports 2 costs ₹8 and its HD feed is ₹11, with taxes added separately by cable and DTH providers. If you would rather watch on a phone, laptop, or smart TV instead of a traditional connection, you can simply stream all matches live on Zee5.
Zee Entertainment Enterprises secured the FIFA World Cup 2026 rights after a long stretch of uncertainty that had fans constantly checking for updates. The agreement covers the 2026 and 2030 World Cups plus several other FIFA tournaments up to 2034, taking over from Viacom18, which held the 2022 rights. That alone makes this a notable change in how Indian viewers will experience the tournament.
The 2026 World Cup itself is set to be the biggest ever. It will be hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, with the field expanding to 48 teams and a total of 104 matches. The opening game is scheduled for Mexico City’s Estadio Azteca, while the final will be played at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. With 16 host cities spread across three countries, the scale of this World Cup will be unlike anything fans have seen before.