{"id":222756,"date":"2026-05-09T19:53:19","date_gmt":"2026-05-09T19:53:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/china-accounted-for-half-of-the-digital-viewership-of-the-last-world-cup-with-one-month-to-go-until-2026-its-still-uncertain-if-they-will-release-it\/"},"modified":"2026-05-09T19:53:21","modified_gmt":"2026-05-09T19:53:21","slug":"china-accounted-for-half-of-the-digital-viewership-of-the-last-world-cup-with-one-month-to-go-until-2026-its-still-uncertain-if-they-will-release-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/china-accounted-for-half-of-the-digital-viewership-of-the-last-world-cup-with-one-month-to-go-until-2026-its-still-uncertain-if-they-will-release-it\/","title":{"rendered":"China accounted for half of the digital viewership of the last World Cup. With one month to go until 2026, it’s still uncertain if they will release it."},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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The Broadcast Battle for the 2026 World Cup<\/h2>\n

With less than five weeks until the opening match of the much-anticipated World Cup 2026, FIFA has managed to sign broadcast contracts with over 175 countries. However, the absence of both China and India\u2014home to nearly three billion residents\u2014remains a glaring oversight. This situation stems from an escalating price war for broadcasting rights, pitting FIFA against two of the world’s largest markets.<\/p>\n

What is at Stake<\/h3>\n

The upcoming World Cup promises to be the biggest yet, featuring 48 teams and 104 matches across the United States, Canada, and Mexico from June 11 to July 19. FIFA is marketing this event as the most watched and broadcast event in history. However, if it fails to resolve its broadcasting disputes with China and India, its claims may not come to fruition.<\/p>\n

The Digital Impact<\/h3>\n

Data from FIFA indicates that during the Qatar 2022 World Cup, China accounted for an astounding 49.8% of all viewing hours on digital and social platforms. India was no slouch either, contributing 32 million digital viewers for the final alone. Ignoring these key markets could severely limit FIFA’s global reach and profitability.<\/p>\n

Timing Issues Affecting Viewership<\/h3>\n

The scheduling of the tournament is a critical issue. With matches hosted in North America, the prime-time games will be broadcast at ungodly hours in Beijing (3:00 AM) and Shanghai (also 3:00 AM) and even later in New Delhi (12:30 AM). Such inconvenient timings threaten the advertising market’s viability, making it difficult for networks to recover the high costs associated with broadcasting rights.<\/p>\n

India\u2019s Bidding Battle<\/h3>\n

In India, JioStar\u2014a major media conglomerate formed from the merger of Viacom18 and Disney Star\u2014submitted a $20 million bid for the broadcast rights, which FIFA swiftly rejected. FIFA originally sought $100 million, which included rights to the 2030 World Cup as well. Although they may have lowered their asking price to around $35 million, the negotiations are still ongoing, creating uncertainty for Indian fans.<\/p>\n

China’s Prohibitive Costs<\/h3>\n

For China, the stakes are even higher. Reports suggest that FIFA is demanding between $250 and $300 million for broadcasting rights. This figure is far beyond what CCTV\u2014China’s sole legal broadcaster\u2014can afford, with a budget estimated at a mere $60 to $80 million. Although FIFA may entertain a price decrease to around $120 to $150 million, it is still double what CCTV can offer.<\/p>\n

Broadcasting Traditions and Challenges<\/h3>\n

CCTV has been broadcasting the World Cup since 1978 without interruption. Historically, agreements have been concluded months in advance, allowing ample time for promotional activities and sponsorship acquisition. However, this year\u2019s negotiations have not resulted in a deal, and with the tournament\u2019s start date looming, fans are understandably concerned.<\/p>\n

Additionally, logistical challenges, such as difficulties in visa acquisition for journalists, could impede the quality of broadcasts. This scenario not only diminishes the viewing experience but could also affect sponsorship appeal within China, further complicating the situation for FIFA.<\/p>\n

The Tension Escalates<\/h3>\n

Currently, both FIFA and the broadcasters are at an impasse, each pulling in different directions to maximize their profits. The clock is ticking; each week without a finalized agreement chips away at potential advertising revenue and sponsorship opportunities. The pressure mounts as millions of anxious fans await clarity on their World Cup viewing options.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n


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General News – 2<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Broadcast Battle for the 2026 World Cup With less than five weeks until the opening match of the much-anticipated World Cup 2026, FIFA has managed to sign broadcast contracts with over 175 countries. However, the absence of both China and India\u2014home to nearly three billion residents\u2014remains a glaring oversight. This situation stems from an […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":222757,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[36399],"tags":[10847,2397,1470,1399,2751,1658,1500,19456,110],"class_list":["post-222756","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology","tag-accounted","tag-china","tag-cup","tag-digital","tag-month","tag-release","tag-uncertain","tag-viewership","tag-world"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/222756","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=222756"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/222756\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":222758,"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/222756\/revisions\/222758"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/222757"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=222756"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=222756"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/teknomers.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=222756"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}