Delhi High Court Demands FIFA World Cup 2026 Broadcast on Public Platforms

Court Orders Notice for FIFA World Cup Broadcast

The Delhi High Court has directed the Centre and Prasar Bharati to respond to a petition advocating for the broadcast of the FIFA World Cup 2026 in India, particularly on free public platforms like Doordarshan and DD Sports.

Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav issued this notice while reviewing a writ petition submitted by advocate Avdhesh Bairwa under Article 226 of the Constitution.

The petition highlights that, despite the FIFA World Cup 2026 being set for June 11 to July 19, 2026, no Indian broadcaster has secured the media rights for the event as of now.

This situation could prevent millions of football enthusiasts in India from witnessing one of the most significant sporting events globally.

Initially, FIFA valued the broadcasting rights for the 2026 and 2030 World Cups in India at approximately USD 100 million. However, due to a lack of interest from broadcasters, this figure was later slashed to around USD 35 million. The petition asserts that even after this reduction, no conclusive agreement has been finalized.

The plea emphasizes that the FIFA World Cup has been recognized as a "sporting event of national importance" under the Sports Broadcasting Signals (Mandatory Sharing with Prasar Bharati) Act, 2007. It contends that following such a notification, both the government and Prasar Bharati are obligated to ensure public access to the event.

Additionally, the petition underscores India's substantial football viewership, citing FIFA data that positions India among the top global engagement markets during the FIFA World Cup 2022. It also mentions that Prasar Bharati possesses the necessary infrastructure to broadcast the tournament via DD Sports, DD Free Dish, and its WAVES OTT platform.

The petitioner argues that failing to broadcast the tournament would infringe upon citizens' rights under Articles 14, 19(1)(a), and 21 of the Constitution, which includes the right to access information through television and public broadcasting services.

Senior Advocate Vaibhav Gaggar represented the petitioner, supported by advocates Ankit Konwar, Avdhesh Bairwa, Subhashni Kumari, Prateek Singh, Nishi Rathore, Nishi Kashyap, Abhishek Nair, Akash Kumar, and Arpit Pandey.