Thiruvananthapuram, Keralam, June 22: The Keralam government has secured permission for free non-commercial public screenings of FIFA World Cup matches across the state, allowing football fans to watch the tournament without paying licensing fees.
Sports Minister O. J. Janeesh announced on Monday that football fans’ groups, clubs and residents’ associations can organise public screenings free of cost, provided no entry fee is charged and the events are conducted on a non-profit basis.
The issue arose after the broadcasting rights for the FIFA World Cup in India were acquired by Zee Entertainment, while its streaming platform Zee5 entered into an agreement with Eagles FC Keralam for public screening rights in the state. The development had raised concerns that organisers would be required to obtain licences and pay fees for conducting screenings.
Following the intervention of the state government, discussions were held with Eagles FC Keralam, resulting in a decision to exempt non-commercial screenings from licensing charges. The exemption applies to screenings organised by football supporters, clubs and residents’ associations without any commercial objective.
However, commercial establishments, including shopping malls and businesses conducting screenings for financial gain, will continue to require licences.
Under the earlier arrangement, organisers were required to pay FIFA licence fees ranging from ₹25,000 to ₹2.5 lakh. The government maintained that free public screenings organised by football enthusiasts should be treated differently from commercial events.
The Sports Department initiated discussions with FIFA representatives, Zee officials and the management of Eagles FC Keralam after the matter came to its notice. The talks concluded with a final decision last week.
Individuals and organisations planning public screenings can register free of charge through the Eagles FC Keralam website and obtain permission automatically.
The minister thanked the management of Eagles FC Keralam, officials of Zee and FIFA representatives for their cooperation in ensuring that football fans in the state can watch World Cup matches without additional financial burden.
Sports Department Special Secretary N. Prashanth and Eagles FC Kerala Chairman Shafi Methar were also present at the press conference.