<div id="readability-page-1"><div id="parent_top_div">With less than three months left for the FIFA World Cup 2026, India remains without an official broadcaster, an unusual situation for one of the world’s biggest sports markets. While private media companies hesitate due to valuation concerns, attention is now turning toward an unexpected name: Prasar Bharati, which has already held preliminary discussions with FIFA. A senior government official confirmed that exploratory talks have taken place to understand the pricing structure and feasibility of acquiring the rights. Private broadcasters hold back as valuation gap widens FIFA launched its India media rights sale process in mid-2025, bundling the 2026 and 2030 World Cups to attract buyers. However, negotiations have stalled despite multiple rounds of discussions. The governing body is believed to have reduced its asking price from nearly $100 million to around $35 million for both tournaments. Even after this revision, no agreement has been finalized. On the other side, industry estimates suggest that the merged entity JioStar values the package at closer to $25 million, significantly lower than FIFA’s expectations. For comparison, Viacom18 had paid about $62 million for the 2022 World Cup alone, highlighting the sharp correction in perceived market value. Prasar Bharati emerges as a possible alternative buyer <div> Prasar Bharati has previously stepped in to broadcast major FIFA events in India. In 2023, Doordarshan aired the FIFA Women’s World Cup through a sub-licensing arrangement with US-based partner 1Stadia, bringing the tournament to a wide audience across the country. ALSO READ: IPL 2026: Quinton de Kock scores maiden hundred for Mumbai Indians</div> Officials argue that the public broadcaster operates under a different framework than private networks, where commercial returns are not the sole priority. Instead, large-scale sporting events are often viewed as part of its public service mandate. With DD Free Dish reaching a massive television audience and the WAVES OTT platform expanding its digital presence, Prasar Bharati now has a stronger distribution setup than in earlier years. Guaranteed exposure through public service broadcasting rules Under India’s Sports Broadcasting Signals (Mandatory Sharing with Prasar Bharati) Act, key sporting events classified as “national importance” must be shared with the public broadcaster. This ensures that marquee matches such as semi-finals and finals are likely to be shown on Doordarshan regardless of the primary rights holder. This regulatory framework effectively guarantees Prasar Bharati access to the tournament’s most high-profile content. JioStar still seen as frontrunner despite delays Despite the uncertainty, industry experts continue to view JioStar as the most likely eventual rights holder. The combined strength of Star Sports on television and JioHotstar on digital platforms gives it strong monetisation potential across India’s fragmented media landscape. In the previous World Cup cycle, digital platforms showed strong revenue potential, with JioCinema (Now JioHotstar) reportedly generating substantial advertising income through brand partnerships during the 2022 tournament. However, analysts say the current deadlock is less about interest and more about price alignment. While FIFA wants a higher valuation, broadcasters are waiting for a correction before committing. Final outcome depends on pricing compromise Industry insiders believe a resolution will eventually be reached, but only once either side adjusts its expectations. If negotiations continue to stall, broadcasters like JioStar may still enter the deal closer to the tournament window, when FIFA’s bargaining position weakens further. For now, India’s FIFA World Cup 2026 broadcast rights remain in limbo, with no confirmed partner despite growing urgency.</div></div>

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距离 2026 年国际足联世界杯还有不到三个月的时间，印度仍然缺乏官方转播商。在与国际足联进行初步讨论后，普拉萨尔·巴哈拉提（Prasar Bharati）正在成为潜在买家，而私人公司由于估值问题则显得犹豫不决。国际足联已将其要价从近 1 亿美元降低至约 3500 万美元，涵盖 2026 年和 2030 年的比赛，但尚未达成协议。尽管行业专家认为解决方案将取决于国际足联与转播商之间的价格协调，但 JioStar 仍被视为领先者

普拉萨尔·巴拉蒂成为印度 2026 年世界杯版权的潜在选择