Free digital streaming of FIFA World Cup 2022 to be accessible on JioCinemas in India

New Delhi: JioCinema will offer free live streaming of every game during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, which will take place from November 20 to December 18, according to a statement released on Thursday by Viacom18 Sports.

Aside from this, Sports18 - 1 SD & HD stations will cover the marquee tournament live on television.

The majority of the FIFA World Cup 2022 matches will be broadcast in India during primetime times like 18:30, 20:30, and 21:30 IST. In addition to England vs. Iran, Portugal vs. Ghana, Brazil vs. Switzerland, and Croatia vs. Belgium, the group stage of the championship competition will feature important matchups like the reigning champions France versus Denmark during primetime.

"Viacom18 Sports' multi-platform presentation of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 will be immersive, personalised and offer viewers exclusive experiences on JioCinema. We want consumers to have easy access to world-class production across digital and linear platforms (on Sports 18) to match the event's stature."

"Our efforts are towards reshaping fan experience and building one of the most-loved media platforms in India," said Viacom18 Sports CEO Anil Jayaraj.

The 64-match competition will be headlined by live streaming of all games in 4K, a first for FIFA World Cup live stream in India, along with multiple language feeds like English, Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam, and Bengali on JioCinema without charging any subscription fees.

Recently, Viacom18 Media Pvt. Ltd. recently announced a strategic investment from Bodhi Tree Systems, a company in 2021 established by former 21st Century Fox CEO James Murdoch, and India's media doyen Uday Shankar.

This will be the first time the FIFA World Cup is to be held in an Arab country and just the second time the mega event will be held entirely in Asia after the 2002 tournament was hosted by South Korea and Japan.

The 2022 FIFA World Cup will be the last to involve 32 teams, with an increase to 48 teams scheduled for the 2026 edition to be hosted by the United States of America, Mexico, and Canada.

The first match of the tournament will be played between hosts' Qatar and Ecuador at Al Bayt Stadium, Al Khor. The final is due to be held on December 18, which also coincides with the Qatar National Day.

With inputs from IANS