The Delhi High Court has issued notice on a writ petition seeking directions to the Union government and Prasar Bharati to ensure that the FIFA World Cup 2026 is broadcast in India, particularly through free-to-air public broadcasting channels such as Doordarshan and DD Sports.
The single-judge Bench of Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav scheduled the next hearing for next week, noting that the petition’s demands align with a Public Interest Litigation (PIL).
Representing the petitioner, Senior Advocate Vaibhav Gaggar remarked that while authorities were already making efforts, a ‘nudge’ from the Court would be beneficial.
The petition argued that the FIFA World Cup 2026 has already been notified as a ‘sporting event of national importance’ under the Sports Broadcasting Signals (Mandatory Sharing with Prasar Bharati) Act, 2007, read with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting notification dated May 9, 2022. Under the statutory framework, key matches, including the opening game, quarter-finals, semi-finals and the final, are required to be made available free-to-air through Prasar Bharati platforms.
Filed by Advocate Avdhesh Bairwa under Article 226 of the Constitution, the plea stated that despite the tournament being scheduled from June 11 to 19, 2026, no broadcaster in India has yet secured telecast rights for the event.
According to the petition, FIFA initially valued the India broadcasting rights package at nearly USD 100 million before reportedly reducing it to around USD 35 million, owing to lack of commercial interest. However, no agreement has been finalised so far, raising concerns that millions of Indian viewers may be denied access to the tournament.
Senior Advocate Vaibhav Gaggar argued that access to sporting events of national importance forms part of the constitutional right to receive information under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution.
Reliance was placed on the Supreme Court’s judgment in Secretary, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting vs Cricket Association of Bengal to contend that airwaves constitute public property and must be utilised in public interest.
The petitioner also referred to Section 12 of the Prasar Bharati Act, 1990, submitting that the public broadcaster has a statutory obligation to ensure fair and adequate coverage of sports and other nationally significant events.
The plea further highlighted India’s large football audience by referring to FIFA engagement data from the 2022 World Cup and argued that denial of access to the 2026 tournament would not only infringe citizens’ rights but also adversely affect the promotion of football and sports culture in the country.
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