 "FIFA World Cup 2026 finally has a TV home in India – here’s where to watch")
New Delhi: One of the biggest unanswered questions ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 has finally been settled for Indian football fans. Ending months of uncertainty over where viewers in India would be able to watch the soccer’s biggest tournament on television, the Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. (ZEEL) has officially launched its new sports television network, Unite8 Sports.
The launch follows approval from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and brings Zee back to live sports broadcasting through a dedicated multi-sport platform.
Starting June 2, four new channels have gone live across the country – Unite8 Sports 1, Unite8 Sports 1 HD, Unite8 Sports 2 and Unite8 Sports 2 HD. The channels are now available through more than 500 cable and distribution platforms.
Major distribution partners include Dish TV, Tata Play, Airtel, Sun Direct, Siti Networks, Indian Cable Net Company Ltd., Hinduja Global, Fastway, Andhra Pradesh State FiberNet Ltd., Kerala Communicators Cable Ltd., Thamizhaga Cable TV Communications, V K Digital, UCN Cable Network, Take One, Sri Sai Cable, Kal Cable, Digiana, Bhimavaram and Axom, among others.
The network will serve as a multi-sport destination and feature live coverage across football, cricket, kabaddi, badminton, wrestling, boxing, combat sports and several other disciplines.
Zee bets big on multi-sport programming
With the launch of Unite8 Sports, Zee is targeting Indian sports audiences whose interests extend across multiple sports rather than a single league or tournament.
The company says the new network has been built to bring different sporting events together under one brand while making live sports easier to access for viewers across the country.
Speaking about the launch, Bavesh Janavlekar, chief business officer, Unite8 Sports at Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd., said, “With Unite8 Sports, we have built a curated multi-sport offering that caters to the evolving preferences of Indian audiences and creates a scalable platform that can match the increasing demand for high-quality accessible live sports action across the country.”
He added that strong distribution partnerships would help ensure that viewers can easily access the channels regardless of where they live.
“Our focus is on ensuring seamless access for viewers, supported by strong partnerships across the distribution ecosystem. We are geared up to present the upcoming FIFA events across our channels, and we remain well-positioned to deliver a compelling viewing experience to fans across the Nation,” Janavlekar said.
The FIFA World Cup 2026 will be hosted across the United States, Canada and Mexico and is scheduled to begin on June 11.
