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With weeks to go before the FIFA World Cup 2026 kicks off, an Indian-American investment firm from Washington DC, Avni LLC, has emerged as an unlikely player for the FIFA India rights.
Avni LLC said it submitted a corporate guarantee backed by financial commitments exceeding $300 million in February 2026 as part of FIFA's closed tender process for the Indian subcontinent, claiming an associated partner secured the winning bid after competing against several major Indian broadcasters. The announcement comes as India remains without a confirmed broadcaster -- an extraordinary situation for one of the world's largest and fastest-growing football markets. Avni LLC is pitching a broader vision beyond traditional television -- one built around OTT platforms, AI-powered multilingual broadcasting, mobile micro-subscriptions and esports integrations across Asia. "The Indian subcontinent alone has the ability to exceed initial valuation expectations," Deelip Mhaske, President and CEO of Avni LLC, said. The contrast with neighbouring markets is stark. China's state broadcaster CMG sealed a comprehensive deal with FIFA on 15 May, while India's Delhi High Court has issued notices to Prasar Bharati following a petition seeking a mandatory free-to-air broadcast on DD Sports to avert a total blackout. FIFA has said only that discussions in India "are ongoing and must remain confidential at this stage." For now, India's football fans wait. Last week, the Delhi High Court issued notice to the Centre and Prasar Bharati on a petition seeking directions to ensure that the FIFA World Cup 2026 is broadcast in India, especially through free-to-air public platforms such as Doordarshan and DD Sports. Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav issued notice to the respondents while hearing the writ petition filed by advocate Avdhesh Bairwa under Article 226 of the Constitution. The petition states that despite the FIFA World Cup 2026 being scheduled from June 11 to July 19, 2026, no broadcaster in India has acquired the media rights for the tournament so far. It argues that this may deprive millions of football fans across the country from watching one of the biggest sporting events in the world. According to the plea, FIFA had initially valued the India broadcasting rights package for the 2026 and 2030 World Cups at around USD 100 million. However, due to a lack of interest from broadcasters, the value was later reduced to nearly USD 35 million. The petition claims that even after the reduction, no final agreement has been reached. (ANI)
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