Zee Entertainment Secures Exclusive Bundesliga Rights in India for 5 Years

Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. has acquired the exclusive television and digital media rights for Germany's top-tier football league, the Bundesliga, in India for the next five years, expanding its portfolio of international sports properties.

The agreement will come into effect from the 2026-27 season, with Bundesliga matches to be streamed on Zee5 and televised on the company's Unite8 Sports channels. The coverage will include live matches, highlights and related programming.

The acquisition follows Zee's recent partnership with FIFA and adds another major football property to its sports offering. The company said the deal is aimed at strengthening its football presence in India while expanding the range of sports content available on its platforms.

Bavesh Janavlekar, Chief Business Officer, Unite8 Sports at Zee Entertainment Enterprises, said the partnership would allow Indian viewers to watch leading Bundesliga clubs and players, including Harry Kane, Jamal Musiala, Michael Olise and Joshua Kimmich throughout the season.

He added that Zee and Bundesliga would also launch the 'Z x Bundesliga Football Week', which will include grassroots football clinics and development programmes for young players across India.

Peer Naubert, Chief Commercial Officer of Bundesliga Media, said India has remained an important market for the league, with investments extending beyond broadcasting to football development and local partnerships.

He said Zee's television and digital reach would help the league connect with a wider audience in the country while supporting initiatives aimed at strengthening grassroots football.

As part of its broader football strategy, Zee had earlier announced that it would contribute 15% of subscription revenue generated from football content on Zee5 towards programmes focused on identifying and developing young football talent in India.

According to the company, Bundesliga's fan base in India has grown by more than 50% over the last four seasons. The league has also undertaken several youth development initiatives, club engagement programmes and coaching activities in the country in recent years.

For Zee, the Bundesliga deal marks another addition to its expanding sports portfolio as broadcasters increasingly compete for premium international sports rights to attract digital subscribers and television audiences. The company said it will continue to pursue partnerships across global and emerging sports while investing in initiatives aimed at promoting football development in India.

The financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.