FIFA warns World Cup could go behind paywalls in China and India as TV talks stall

FIFA president Gianni Infantino has warned that large parts of the World Cup could end up behind expensive paywalls unless broadcast rights deals are struck at reasonable prices, leaving millions of viewers locked out.

The warning comes as negotiations with China and India – two of the tournament’s largest audiences – have hit deadlock over price. FIFA’s initial asking price for TV rights in China was reportedly $300 million, a figure that state broadcaster CCTV balked at. The governing body has since slashed the fee by half, but a deal remains unconfirmed. Talks in India have also stalled, with broadcasters’ offers deemed too low by FIFA.

Both countries delivered huge viewership for the 2022 World Cup: more than 500 million watched in China and 84 million in India.

The standoff poses a growing risk for sponsors and global brands, just as the tournament expands to 48 teams and three host nations. FIFA has already reported lower-than-expected interest in some regions, and Infantino has pushed back on criticism of high ticket prices, noting that the US market sets its own rates.

“The bigger picture is that if rights deals don’t come through, the tournament’s reach could shrink significantly outside North America,” Infantino suggested.

While agreements may still be reached before kickoff, the impasse highlights a deepening tension between broadcast revenue and global accessibility. For now, millions of fans in the world’s most populous nations face an uncertain wait to see whether their World Cup will remain free to air.