With just one month left before the FIFA World Cup 2026 begins, a delay in broadcast rights talks has created a lot of worry across Asia. India, China, Thailand and several other football-loving markets are still waiting for final TV and streaming deals, even though the tournament starts on June 11 in North America.
The issue is not about interest in the event. Rather, it is about timing, money and how broadcasters can make the numbers work when most matches will be shown late at night or very early in the morning across Asia.
Broadcast rights talks still unfinished
The World Cup is one of the biggest sports events in the world, and this edition will be even larger than before. FIFA 2026 will have 48 teams and 104 matches, which makes it the biggest World Cup in history.
However, even with that scale, some major Asian markets still have not closed their broadcast deals. India, China and Thailand are among the key countries where rights talks are still going on. This delay has raised concern because these countries have huge football audiences and large digital user bases.
In many parts of Asia, the question is now simple: will viewers be able to watch the matches on TV or streaming platforms when the tournament starts?
Late-night kick-offs are a major problem
One big reason for the delay is the time difference between North America and Asia. Since the matches will be played in the United States, Canada and Mexico, many games will be shown at very difficult hours for Asian viewers.
The opening match and even the final are scheduled for around 3:00 am in Beijing and Shanghai. In New Delhi, they are expected around 12:30 am. Some other matches will begin as late as 6:30 am in parts of Asia.
This timing makes it harder for broadcasters to sell advertising. Late-night matches usually draw fewer casual viewers, so channels and streaming companies do not expect the same kind of revenue they would get from prime-time cricket or football coverage.
Because of that, media companies are being careful with the money they offer for the rights.
India is still waiting for a deal
India is one of the biggest markets still without a confirmed broadcast agreement. The country has a huge football following, but the late-night schedule is a serious challenge for broadcasters.
Sandeep Goyal, chairman of Rediffusion, said in comments to AFP that he had been aware of discussions between FIFA and Indian broadcasters. He pointed to match timing as the main issue. According to him, the bigger games will be shown at 12:30 am or even 3:30 am, while some will start at 6:30 am.
That kind of schedule, he said, lowers the chances of strong viewership in India. As a result, advertisers may also show less interest, which brings down the value of the rights.
Goyal also said that JioStar, India’s largest media group, has offered about $20 million for the rights. That is far below FIFA’s reported expectation of around $100 million for the combined 2026 and 2030 rights.
China still has no confirmed rights deal
China is another major market where the rights situation remains unsettled. This is a big point because the country has a huge digital audience and has shown strong interest in World Cup content in the past.
During the 2022 World Cup, China accounted for nearly half of the global digital viewing hours, which shows the size of its football audience. Even with that level of interest, no final deal has been announced yet for the 2026 tournament.
The delay has left uncertainty around how fans in China will access the matches. It also shows that even the world’s biggest sports event can face trouble in major markets when timing and pricing do not match broadcaster plans.
Thailand sees political attention
In Thailand, the issue has reached the top level of government. Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has said fans should not miss out on the tournament. He noted that earlier governments had ensured free access to the World Cup, and he said his administration should not be seen as different.
That kind of public statement shows how important the tournament is in the region. At the same time, it also shows how broadcast rights can become a national issue when a big event is close and no agreement has been signed.
Thailand is not alone in facing these concerns, but the public comments have brought more attention to the problem there.
Malaysia already has coverage
While some countries are still waiting, Malaysia has already confirmed coverage of the FIFA World Cup 2026. That has brought some comfort in the region, even as talks continue in other markets.
The fact that one country has already closed its deal while others have not shows how uneven the process can be. Some broadcasters may be willing to pay more, while others need more time to agree on a price that makes sense for their business.
For now, Malaysia stands out as one of the few bright spots in Asia’s broadcast picture.
FIFA says deals are in place in most countries
FIFA has said that it has already signed broadcast agreements in more than 175 countries. Talks are still going on in the remaining markets.
That means the broad global picture is not one of failure, but of delays in a few large and important places. Even so, those unfinished deals matter because Asia has a very large share of the world’s population.
When the region’s biggest markets are still open, the concern naturally grows. This is especially true when the tournament is just weeks away and no final announcement has been made in some countries.
Broadcasters are balancing cost and ad revenue
Experts say this kind of delay is not unusual. James Walton of Deloitte Asia Pacific said such situations happen in every World Cup cycle. According to him, broadcasters always try to get the best price while also thinking about how much advertising money they can earn back.
That balance is harder this time because the matches are not in a viewer-friendly time slot for Asia. When a match begins after midnight, the audience is often smaller, and that reduces commercial value.
As a result, broadcasters are taking longer to commit. They do not want to pay too much for a package that may not bring strong returns.
Match timings reduce viewing value
The World Cup schedule itself is part of the problem. Since the event is being held in North America, most games will not fit normal evening hours in Asia.
The opening match and final, which are usually the biggest draws of the tournament, will be shown late at night or very early in the morning in many Asian countries. That is a major issue for TV networks and streaming firms that depend on live audience numbers.
This is why the talks have moved more slowly than usual. Broadcasters know the size of the event, but they also know the timing will affect viewership patterns in a big way.
Concern over possible piracy
Walton also warned that if access is not provided widely, piracy could rise. That is another reason why governments and FIFA want as many official broadcast deals as possible.
When fans cannot get legal access easily, they often turn to unofficial streams. That can reduce revenue for rights holders and create a poor viewing experience.
So even though the talks are slow, both FIFA and local governments have clear reasons to close the gaps before the tournament begins.
Still, the basic facts are clear: the World Cup begins on June 11, the tournament is bigger than ever, and late-night timing in Asia has made broadcast talks slower than normal. The next few weeks will decide how widely the event will be shown across the region.
