With the FIFA World Cup 2026 kicking off on 11 June – less than four weeks away – China and India have still not finalised broadcast rights agreements with FIFA, leaving millions of fans at risk of missing out on the tournament and prompting concern from Chinese corporate sponsors of the competition.

China’s state broadcaster CCTV is the designated platform for World Cup coverage in the country. FIFA reportedly offered the rights for US$300 million before lowering its asking price to between US$120 million and US$150 million – still double what CCTV had budgeted for the tournament, according to Chinese media. 

The timing of matches has compounded the problem. With most games played in North America, the bulk of the action falls in the early hours of the morning in China, significantly reducing potential viewership and making it harder for broadcasters to justify the asking price to commercial sponsors.

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The situation is considered highly unusual. For the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, CCTV secured the rights well in advance and had promotional content and sponsor-driven advertising running weeks before the tournament began. China accounted for 49.8 percent of all digital and social viewing hours during the 2022 edition, and 17.7 percent of total global television reach, making it FIFA’s single most important viewing market.

That commercial weight has made the impasse particularly sensitive. Chinese companies account for a significant share of FIFA’s top-tier sponsorship roster for 2026, including Lenovo, Wanda Group, Hisense and Mengniu Dairy. With no broadcast deal in place, those sponsors are unable to run World Cup-linked advertising campaigns in China – a situation that Shenzhen media reports has caused growing unease among the affected brands.

FIFA told Reuters only that discussions are “ongoing and must remain confidential at this stage.”