ZEE5 and Unite8 Sports have unveiled ‘Poora India Watchega’, a nationwide campaign designed to build excitement around the FIFA World Cup 2026™ and bring football’s biggest tournament closer to Indian audiences.
Developed by Talented and mktgstack, the campaign celebrates a pivotal moment in world football, with established legends nearing the end of their careers, emerging stars ready to take centre stage, and an expanded 48-team tournament set to make the competition more inclusive than ever.
Anchored by a high-energy brand film directed by Atul Kattukara of First December Films, the campaign captures the spirit of football fandom across India. From homes and cafés to offices, streets and communities, the film highlights the celebrations, rivalries and shared emotions that define the World Cup experience.
The campaign will be amplified through brand partnerships, creator-led integrations and a large-scale digital strategy spanning more than 200 websites. It will also feature prominently across connected TVs, food delivery platforms, sports apps and digital sports communities, ensuring widespread visibility throughout the tournament.
Kartik Mahadev, Chief Marketing Officer, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. stated, “At ZEE5 and Unite8 Sports, we want the audience to watch FIFA World Cup together. FIFA World Cup is an experience that goes beyond the core football fandom, and ‘Poora India Watchega’ brings that spirit alive. Every four years, football goes beyond its core fans and becomes something everyone wants to be part of. It’s about watching with friends, picking favourite teams overnight, celebrating every goal, and getting swept up in the emotion. Through this campaign, we’ve aimed to make the World Cup feel welcoming, exciting, whether you’ve followed football for years or are tuning in for the first time.”
Adding to this, Bavesh Janavlekar, Chief Business Officer, Unite8 Sports, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd., said, “The FIFA World Cup 2026™ marks a defining moment for global football with legends nearing the end of an era, new stars rising, and an expanded 48-team format making it more inclusive than ever. It’s this scale and cultural impact that makes the tournament bigger than just the sport. ‘Poora India Watchega’ is built for every kind of fan lifelong followers, once-in-four-years viewers, and those discovering the game for the first time bringing an immersive, an experience that connects with audiences across India and helps grow a lasting football culture.”
Karishma Changroth & Sanket Audhi, Founding Members at Talented, said, “It takes a whole squad playing at the top of their form to bring a campaign of this scale to life. ‘Poora India Watchega’ is powered by high trust, agility and shared ambition across ZEE5, Unite8 Sports, Talented, mktgstack and our production partners at First December Films to create a World Cup experience that feels as big and energetic as the fans it is made for.”
Talented led the campaign’s creative and strategic development, while mktgstack is driving social and digital engagement aimed at building football culture online and making the tournament feel unmissable before kick-off.
The FIFA World Cup 2026™ will be available in Hindi, English, Bangla and Malayalam across ZEE5 and the newly launched Unite8 Sports channels, offering fans comprehensive access to the tournament in their preferred language.
