Mumbai, June 2 -- Millions of football fans in India were assured of live telecast from the FIFA World Cup starting on June 11 in the USA, Mexico and Canada after the Zee Group and the world football governing body announced the rights deal in a statement on Monday. Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. also announced its launch of four dedicated sports channels - Unite8 Sports 1, Unite8 Sports 1 HD, Unite8 Sports 2 and Unite8 Sports 2 HD - and their existing OTT platform Zee5 to telecast matches of the 48-team tournament. A total of 104 matches will be played in the biggest World Cup to date. The latest valuation has not been made public but the rights bagged by Zee are for the 2026 and 2030 World Cups as well 37 other Fifa events, up to 2034. The tie-up between Zee and FIFA comes after JioStar dropped out and had raised doubts over the World Cup being telecast in India. FIFA had initially set a price of around $100mn for the 2026 World Cup, but did not find takers in India. JioStar had offered $20mn for the 2026 edition alone, for which FIFA was not ready to go below $35mn. JioStar's predecessor Viacom 18 had spent $62mn for the rights of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Sony Pictures Networks India also explored the possibility of acquiring the rights, but did not submit a formal bid. Sony had the rights for the 2014 and 2018 World Cups, reportedly acquired for $90mn. With 75% of the matches in the 2026 World Cup being beamed late into the night in India, broadcasters were reportedly reluctant to pay big bucks as they are unsure of advertisement revenue. Acquiring the rights and the launch of new channels is seen as a significant step in Zee's return to sports broadcasting. For Zee, being the one-stop World Cup destination will provide significant traction for the new platform. India has had a history of sports channels being launched through football World Cups. The same ploy was employed by then new Viacom 18 through the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Ten Sports did it back in 2002. "We are excited to bring one of the world's biggest sporting spectacles to Indian audiences. Football cuts across regions and demographics, and the investments in garnering the media rights and launching dedicated sports channels reflect our clear belief in its long-term potential. Our approach has been to invest in properties where we see current relevance and future growth potential," Punit Goenka, CEO, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd., said in a statement. "The Indian market is of strategic importance for FIFA as it displays immense potential driven by a young and passionate audience. We believe the extensive broadcast and digital distribution ecosystem of 'Z' coupled with their deep understanding of local viewers and multi-platform capabilities will play a pivotal role in expanding the reach of football with fans across every part of India," Romy Gai, FIFA Chief Business Officer, said. The demand in the Asian market for the FIFA World Cup rights has been lukewarm. The China deal too was struck only a few days ago, reportedly for $60 million and almost 80% below the original price. I...