FIFA World Cup 2026: DD Sports to show matches free. When and where to watch other games in India, know all details
New Delhi, June 11
India may not have the national team taking part in the mega event, but the craze for the biggest ever FIFA World Cup 2026 is high among the fans who are willing to witness their favourite footballers performing on the global stage.
All those interested can watch matches which will be broadcast on Zee Network, and also some matches on DD Sports.
The opening match between Mexico and South Africa will be broadcast from 00:30 IST on June 12, while other matches will be played at 01:30 am, 02:30, and 06:30 IST. The quarterfinals will be shown between July 10 and 12, while the semifinals will be telecast on July 15 and 16, with the final slated for July 20 -- all three matches starting at 00:30 IST.
Football's biggest showpiece event, the FIFA World Cup 2026, is set to commence on June 12 (IST) with fans across the world set to witness 48 teams fight it out for the trophy for the first time in the history of the game.
The multinational tournament will be hosted jointly by Mexico, Canada, and the United States of America and will feature a total of 104 matches in an expanded tournament.
The expanded format introduces 12 groups of four teams each, replacing the previous structure of eight groups. The top two teams from every group, along with the eight best third-placed sides, will advance to the knockout stage, creating a new Round of 32 before the traditional Round of 16.
For the viewers from India, there was a deadlock regarding the broadcast of the tournament in the country. However, that deadlock is over now, and the Indian audience can also watch the fixtures.
Where to Watch FIFA World Cup 2026 on TV in India?
The FIFA World Cup 2026 will be shown on the newly launched Unite8 Sports network on television. Four channels - Unite8 Sports 1 (Hindi commentary), Unite8 Sports 1 HD (Hindi commentary), Unite8 Sports 2 (English commentary), and Unite8 Sports 2 HD (English commentary) will broadcast matches.
DD Sports has announced that it will show select matches for free. It will broadcast the opener between Mexico and South Africa for free. Apart from that, the quarterfinals, semifinals, and final will be available on DD Free Dish.
Where to watch the live streaming of all the FIFA World Cup 2026 matches in India?
Fans can watch the live streaming of the FIFA World Cup on mobile, laptop, or smart TV on the Zee5 app.
The Groups
Group A: Mexico, South Africa, Republic of Korea and Czechia
Group B: Canada, Switzerland, Qatar, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Group C: Brazil, Morocco, Scotland, Haiti
Group D: USA, Paraguay, Australia, Turkey
Group E: Germany, Ecuador, Ivory Coast, Curaçao
Group F: Netherlands, Japan, Sweden, Tunisia
Group G: Belgium, Egypt, Iran, New Zealand
Group H: Spain, Uruguay, Saudi Arabia, Cape Verde
Group I: France, Senegal, Norway, Iraq
Group J: Argentina, Austria, Algeria, Jordan
Group K: Portugal, Colombia, DR Congo, Uzbekistan
Group L: England, Croatia, Ghana, Panama
— IANS
Reader Comments
India might not be playing but the enthusiasm is real! My entire colony is planning a screening for the final. It’s great that DD Sports is broadcasting the knockouts free on DD Free Dish - that’s accessibility for rural areas. Though I wish they’d show more group stage matches too.
The expanded 48-team format is exciting but 104 matches is overkill. Already feeling the fatigue! Still, supporting Brazil and hoping Neymar’s heir delivers. Also, great that Zee5 has Hindi commentary option - makes it accessible for my parents who don’t understand English commentary.
One thing I don’t understand - why is Unite8 Sports launching new channels and not using existing sports channels like Sony or Star? Also the timings are all over the place. Early morning 6:30 am matches mean I’ll have to skip breakfast to watch. But football passion > anything else ⚽
Good to see African and Asian teams getting more representation in expanded format. Rooting for Japan to reach semis - they play beautiful football. And DD Sports showing free matches is a blessing for students like me who can’t afford Zee5 subscription. Just hope the DD Sports broadcast quality isn’t worse than Doordarshan news 😅
As someone who grew up watching World Cup on DD Sports in the 90s, this feels nostalgic. But the deadlock over broadcast rights was ridiculous - fans almost missed out entirely. India’s football viewership is growing, media companies need to sort these issues faster. Anyway, ready for sleepless nights!
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.