FIFA World Cup 2026: When and where to watch in India, know all details

Zee's newly launched Unite8 Sports network and the ZEE5 digital platform will provide comprehensive live coverage of the expanded 48-team FIFA World Cup 2026 for football fans across India. Here is the complete broadcast guide

New Delhi: Football’s ultimate spectacle, the FIFA World Cup 2026, is set to kick off on June 12 (IST).

For the first time in the history of the sport, fans across the globe will witness an expanded roster of 48 teams competing for the ultimate prize.

---

The multi-national tournament is being jointly hosted by Mexico, Canada, and the United States, featuring an unprecedented 104 matches across North America.

The historic expanded format introduces 12 groups of four teams each, completely replacing the long-standing eight-group structure.

Under the new system, the top two teams from each group, alongside the eight best third-placed sides, will advance to the knockout rounds.

This creates a new, high-stakes Round of 32 before the tournament moves into the traditional Round of 16.While India will not be competing on the pitch, local enthusiasm is peaking among fans eager to witness their favorite global football stars perform on the grandest stage.

For Indian viewers, a prolonged deadlock over the tournament’s domestic broadcast rights had caused considerable anxiety.

However, that standoff has officially been resolved, clearing the way for seamless, multi-platform coverage across the country.

Television Broadcast Details:

The FIFA World Cup 2026 will be broadcast live in India on the newly launched Unite8 Sports network. Fans can tune into four dedicated channels depending on their language and picture-quality preferences:

• Unite8 Sports 1 (Standard Definition, Hindi Commentary)

• Unite8 Sports 1 HD (High Definition, Hindi Commentary)

• Unite8 Sports 2 (Standard Definition, English Commentary)

• Unite8 Sports 2 HD (High Definition, English Commentary)

Live Streaming Details:

For digital viewers, the entire tournament will be available for live streaming on mobiles, laptops, and smart TVs via the ZEE5 app and website.

Official Group Configurations:

Group	Teams
Group A	Mexico, South Africa, Republic of Korea, Czechia
Group B	Canada, Switzerland, Qatar, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Group C	Brazil, Morocco, Scotland, Haiti
Group D	USA, Paraguay, Australia, Turkey
Group E	Germany, Ecuador, Ivory Coast, Curaçao
Group F	Netherlands, Japan, Sweden, Tunisia
Group G	Belgium, Egypt, Iran, New Zealand
Group H	Spain, Uruguay, Saudi Arabia, Cape Verde
Group I	France, Senegal, Norway, Iraq
Group J	Argentina, Austria, Algeria, Jordan
Group K	Portugal, Colombia, DR Congo, Uzbekistan
Group L	England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama