Zee ki deal kya hai?
1 June 2026 ka announcement. 8-saal ki deal hai — sirf World Cup 2026 nahi, 2027 Women's World Cup aur 2030 men's World Cup bhi cover hain. Deal value approximately $30-35 million.
Pehle JioStar ne $20M ka bid kiya tha, FIFA ne reject kiya. Last minute mein Zee ne deal close ki. Indian audience ke liye good news yeh hai ki ab broadcasting confirmed hai — pichle 6 months se uncertainty thi.
Unite8 Sports channels - 4 channels hain
Zee ne specifically World Cup ke liye 4 naye sports channels launch kiye:
- Unite8 Sports 1 — Hindi, SD
- Unite8 Sports 1 HD — Hindi, high definition
- Unite8 Sports 2 — English, SD
- Unite8 Sports 2 HD — English, high definition
Tata Play, Airtel Xstream, Dish TV, Jio Fiber par specific channel numbers tournament shuru hone se thoda pehle confirm honge. Apne DTH provider ke EPG (electronic program guide) mein search karke check kar lo — “Unite8” ya “Zee Sports” type karne par mil jaayega.
ZEE5 par streaming ki details
Saare 104 matches ZEE5 par live milenge. App teen jagah available hai — Android (Google Play Store), iOS (App Store), aur web par zee5.com. Smart TV ke liye ZEE5 ka app Android TV, Fire TV Stick, Samsung Tizen, LG webOS — sab platforms pe install ho jaata hai.
Subscription pricing Zee tournament se thoda pehle finalize karega. Pichle saal ZEE5 Premium plan around Rs. 99/month tha. World Cup 2026 ke liye special pricing aane ki possibility hai — weekly ya tournament-only pass type options.
ZEE5 par live aur on-demand dono available honge. Match miss ho gaya toh next day replay dekh sakte ho.
JioCinema, Hotstar, Prime - in par bilkul nahi
Yeh question bohot logon ka hai. Short answer — nahi.
Zee ne exclusive rights jeete hain. Matlab JioCinema (Reliance), Disney+ Hotstar, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube Premium, SonyLIV — in kisi par bhi live matches nahi aayenge. Highlights aur clips alag baat hai, lekin full live matches sirf ZEE5 par.
DD National par milega?
Nahi. 20 May 2026 ko Prasar Bharati (jo DD National aur DD Sports chalata hai) ne Delhi High Court mein clarify kar diya tha — commercial broadcasting rights kharidna unke public service mandate ke bahar hai. Cricket World Cup ka exception hota hai kyunki vahan sports broadcasting law clauses lagti hain, lekin football World Cup ke liye DD pe coverage nahi hogi.
Free-to-air option sirf FIFA+ rahega — jo FIFA ka free streaming service hai. Limited content milta hai vahan — highlights, classic matches, kuch live matches (limited).
Match timings IST mein
Sab matches India mein late evening ya raat ko aayenge kyunki venues USA, Canada, Mexico mein hain. Quick reference:
- East Coast US matches (Boston, NY, Atlanta, Miami) — 9:30 PM IST aayenge
- Mexico City matches — 11:30 PM IST
- Pacific time zone (LA, Vancouver, Seattle) — 12:30 AM IST (next day)
Tournament dates
12 June 2026 IST se shuru — opening match Mexico vs South Africa (12:30 AM IST). Final 20 July IST (raat ko) MetLife Stadium, New Jersey. Total 38 days ka tournament, 104 matches, 48 teams.