Zee Entertainment, the Indian media enterprise that only recently re-entered the sports market, has quickly moved to bolster its soccer portfolio with the addition of exclusive rights to Germany's top-flight Bundesliga on a multi-year basis.
Sportcal understands that the agreement, which covers the linear broadcast and digital streaming rights, will span the next five seasons.
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Coverage will be disseminated across Zee’s range of four sports-focused linear channels, which are operated under the ‘Unite8’ brand, and the Zee 5 OTT service.
This coverage will include live match broadcasts, a highlights package, and “exclusive” pre- and post-match shoulder content.
Of particular interest through the deal will no doubt be Bayern Munich, the record Bundesliga champions, who boast several high-profile international players on their roster, including England's Harry Kane, France's Michael Olise, and Germany's Jamal Musiala.
Peer Naubert, Bundesliga Media chief commercial officer, said: "We have been investing in India for many years because we believe long-term relevance is built through sustained local engagement, not broadcast reach alone.
"India is not simply a market for the Bundesliga; it is a country where we have consistently invested in football, in partnerships and in people. This partnership with 'Z' reflects that philosophy. Their outstanding reach, local expertise, and multi-platform capabilities will bring the Bundesliga closer to millions of fans across India."
The league claims that its fanbase in India has “grown by 50%” over the past four seasons, a factor it can likely attribute to its ‘Bundesliga Dream India’ community outreach project.
Going forward, the Bundesliga has committed to further consumer outreach in the country, including a collaborative project with Zee Entertainment, the “Z x Bundesliga Football Week”, where the pair will establish soccer clinics and grassroots programs across the country.
Naubert continued: "For us, media partnerships mark the beginning of a long-term relationship, not the end of a transaction. Together with 'Z', we want to inspire the next generation of Indian footballers, strengthen local football structures, and deepen the connection between India and the Bundesliga for generations of football fans.”
This agreement coincides with Zee’s re-entry into the sports market in India, which it exited in 2024, following the fallout from its failed ICC cricket sublicensing agreement with Star.
The Unite8 channels will be predicated on two offerings, ‘Unite8 Sports 1’ with English-language coverage and 'Unite8 Sports 2’ with coverage in Hindi. Both offerings have a standard and high definition channel, bringing the total to four channels.
Janavlekar was appointed to his role in charge of the programming unit back in early June after Zee confirmed its re-entry into the sports market.
The re-entry coincided with Zee securing the rights to the marquee FIFA World Cup soccer competition, which is currently ongoing.
Zee helped the global soccer governing body avoid a blackout in the coveted Indian market, committing to an eight-year agreement that also includes the 2030 FIFA World Cup, the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2027, and a host of other national team tournaments.
Those other tournaments include the men’s and women’s FIFA World Cups in the under-17 and under-20 youth categories, the FIFA Futsal World Cups, and the FIFA Intercontinental Cup annual club tournament (up to 2030).
This means the Bundesliga joins a soccer portfolio at Zee that already includes 39 FIFA events until 2034.
