Indians may miss the FIFA World Cup 2026 both remotely and to a large extent, physically. Photo: iStock
FIFA World Cup 2026 may see less Indian spectators at venues: Report
As visa hurdles, costs, and logistical nightmares threaten to slash Indian attendance, lack of a confirmed TV broadcaster may also see them miss it remotely
Amid the anxiety of millions of football fans in India that they might miss the live telecast of the matches to be played at the FIFA World Cup starting next month, a new uncertainty has emerged.
According to a report by The Economic Times, Indians' footfall at the venues hosting games of the marquee tournament could be less this time, thanks to higher expenses, visa obstacles and logistical challenges.
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If the fears come to be true, it would mean India's presence would be vastly reduced at the football World Cup, particularly if one compares the number of fans who visited the previous edition played in Qatar in 2022.
However, the ET report said, the overall spending by the Indian fans could see a significant rise even if the number of visitors dips, as the affluent visitors are not known for compromising on the hospitality standards.
The 2026 edition of the World Cup, the largest ever featuring 48 teams, will be played in 16 cities in three countries — the US, Canada and Mexico — and there will be 104 matches overall. It will kick off on June 11 and continue till July 19.
Indians were second-largest bloc of visitors in Qatar 2022
Statistically, Indians made up the second-largest bloc of visitors at the Qatar edition, next only to Saudi Arabia. Nearly 57,000 Indians went to the Gulf nation for the tournament, compared to Saudi's 77,106 visitors. The US (36,236), the UK (30,179) and Mexico (25,533) completed the top five source markets, according to the ET report.
Barring India, all the other four nations were part of the tournament. India, who are not ranked in the top 130 football teams in the world, have never played the prestigious tournament.
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Reasons that accounted for Indians' high presence in Qatar included that country's proximity to India, easier visa rules, relatively cheaper costs, and the presence of a large Indian diaspora in the Gulf, the ET report added.
The report cited Mayank Khandwala, founder of Cutting Edge Events, a premier travel management firm based in Mumbai, told the ET that "overall travel from India to the 2026 FIFA World Cup is expected to be lower than Qatar due to a combination of factors, including geopolitical uncertainty, high airfares, expensive match tickets and complex visa processes for the US and Canada".
He also said that moderate promotional activity around the tournament in India by the game's global governing body and host nations could also hurt the numbers.
Visa problems to hit fans from other nations too: Report
However, it is not only Indians who would be hit by visa problems. According to a CBS News report, the same may affect the plans of football fans from other countries as well, especially for venues in the US. The report cited Tessy Ortiz, an immigration attorney, as saying that strict policies and long queues for processing are making things uncertain for the travellers.
“I think some of them are not going to be able to enter. They are going to stay with their tickets — maybe they will have to sell them,” Ortiz was quoted as saying by CBS News.
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“Some of them are going to be denied entry at the port of entry, because having the visa does not guarantee the entry.”
Many travellers will still need to have the B1/B2 visa, even for a tournament such as the World Cup. The report said the US state department started the FIFA Priority Scheduling System earlier in 2026, known as FIFA Pass, to allow fans who bought tickets directly from the global body to have access to quicker interview appointments. But an interview doesn’t mean approval is guaranteed.
No broadcast either?
Meanwhile, those who planned to enjoy the games from their drawing rooms are also finding little hope. Even as fans gear up for the mega football event after the ongoing Indian Premier League concludes, nobody knows which broadcaster will telecast the games on television in India.
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No broadcaster has been confirmed for the tournament officially, even weeks before the kick-off.
While there was a hope that the government would telecast the games, latest reports have said that public broadcaster Prasar Bharati told the Delhi High Court that it is not their responsibility to secure the World Cup broadcasting rights in India.
In 2022, 745 million people in India watched the World Cup matches across all channels. With nearly 84 million television viewers, India is among the top 10 nations for the FIFA World Cup’s TV viewership. If there is no broadcast this time, it would hurt FIFA’s commercial interests besides the sentiments of football-lovers in India.