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 platforms such as Doordarshan and DD Sports.
The plea contends that the FIFA World Cup 2026 has already been classified as a “sporting event of national importance” under the Sports Broadcasting Signals (Mandatory Sharing with Prasar Bharati) Act, 2007 and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting’s notification dated May 9, 2022, which mandates free-to-air access to key matches including the opening match, quarter-finals, semi-finals and final through Prasar Bharati.
Filed by advocate Avdhesh Bairwa under Article 226 of the Constitution, the petition states that despite the tournament being scheduled from June 11 to July 19, 2026, no broadcaster in India has acquired the tournament’s broadcasting rights. It claims that FIFA initially valued the India rights package at around USD 100 million before reducing it to USD 35 million due to lack of interest, but no agreement has yet been finalised, potentially depriving millions of Indian viewers of access to the event.
Appearing for the petitioner, 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). Reliance was placed on the Supreme Court’s judgment in Secretary, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting v. Cricket Association of Bengal to contend that airwaves are public property and must be used in public interest.
The petitioner also invoked the statutory obligations of Prasar Bharati under Section 12 of the Prasar Bharati Act, 1990, arguing that the public broadcaster is duty-bound to ensure fair and adequate coverage of sports and nationally significant events.
The plea further highlights India’s massive football audience, citing FIFA engagement data from the 2022 World Cup, and argues that denial of access would not only violate citizens’ rights but also adversely impact the promotion of football and sports culture in the country.
Appearances:
For Petitioner: Senior Advocate Vaibhav Gaggar ; Ankit Konwar; Avdhesh Bairwa; Subhashni Kumari; Prateek Singh; Nishi Rathore; Nishi Kashyap; Abhishek Nair; Akash Kumar; Arpit Pandey
Filed through Shweta Bharti, Jyoti Chaudhary, Ankit Konwar & Rohit Jolly.