Mint Explainer: As FIFA fever returns, what's the state of football in India?

Published 9 June 2026 · sports

Is there a bright spot in football’s future in India? Yes, somewhat. Despite the flood of cricket, “emerging sports”, including football, have retained their share

Is there a bright spot in football’s future in India? Yes, somewhat. Despite the flood of cricket, “emerging sports”, including football, have retained their share in the country’s sports business. For instance, in 2024 and 2025, emerging sports attracted ₹200 crore of endorsement revenue, consulting firm EY and industry body FICCI estimated in a report released this March. Football made up 1% of all sports viewership on JioStar’s TV channels and 1.1% on streaming platform JioHotstar in 2025, the report said, despite the delay in the ISL.

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