sports
Fifa’s failure to agree World Cup TV deals in China and India a headache for Infantino
With the tournament a month away, there are still no agreements done with the two Asian giants to ensure fans there can watch all 104 games
TL;DR
- Fifa expanded the World Cup to 48 teams hoping for increased participation and viewership from countries like India and China.
- No broadcasting deals have been agreed for the upcoming World Cup in India or China, despite the tournament being a month away.
- Fifa initially sought $100m for India and $250m-$300m for China, but prices have reportedly dropped significantly.
- In India, factors contributing to the impasse include less favorable game timings, reduced competition in the sports broadcasting market, and the dominance of cricket.
- China's CCTV has a budget far below Fifa's asking price, with time differences and the men's team's failure to qualify also being concerns.
- The depreciation of the Indian rupee against the dollar has also made acquiring broadcasting rights more expensive for Indian companies.
- Failure to secure deals in these two major markets could have repercussions for Fifa's future negotiations and the perceived value of their product.