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JioStar withdraws from broadcasting the 2026 T20 World Cup in India, leaving ICC scrambling for new partners. Fans face uncertainty over live coverage, as alternative platforms hesitate due to high media rights costs.
Broadcasting rights in India and Sri Lanka in jeopardy
New Delhi: The 2026 T20 World Cup will be jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka. The tournament will run from February 7th to March 8th, featuring a total of 20 teams. This will be an exciting time for cricket fans, as teams from India and other countries will compete in the world's biggest T20 tournament.
However, the cricket world has been dealt a major blow. According to media reports, JioStar has refused to broadcast the 2026 T20 World Cup. The main reason cited is financial losses. According to a report in the Economic Times, JioStar informed the ICC that it would not be able to continue the media agreement until 2027.
The ICC had started the process of selling media rights for the 2026-2029 cycle. The ICC was expecting to receive approximately $2.4 billion for these media rights. JioStar had a $3 billion deal with the ICC for the 2023-2027 period. JioStar's withdrawal has created a major crisis for the ICC.
Following JioStar's withdrawal, the ICC has invited other platforms to bid for the media rights. This includes Sony Pictures Networks India, Netflix, and Amazon Prime Video. However, due to the high cost of the deal, none of them have shown interest so far.
Since the ICC has not yet found a new broadcasting partner, the live broadcast of the 2026 T20 World Cup in India is currently at risk. This is a matter of concern for cricket fans, who are wondering whether they will be able to watch the excitement of this World Cup on television and mobile devices.
The ICC is now searching for a new partner and hopes that a solution will be found soon. In the meantime, cricket fans will have to wait to see through which medium they will be able to enjoy the excitement of the World Cup.
