For years, football was seen as the next big opportunity in India’s sports ecosystem, attracting affluent, urban youth and offering brands a more premium cultural space. However, from the uncertainty around securing a broadcaster for the FIFA World Cup before Zee acquired the rights through 2034, to the ongoing structural challenges facing Indian football, the sport appears to be losing commercial momentum.

Against this backdrop, in our June issue, we explored whether football still holds long-term potential in India or whether its scale and commercial viability have been overestimated.

Vipin Nambiar, founder, Emurge, and Lloyd Mathias, independent director and business strategist, weigh in on football's long-term potential in India against concerns over its commercial viability.

Have brands shifted spends away from football?

Vipin Nambiar (VN): To some extent, yes. Every sponsorship today must satisfy two stakeholders: the consumer’s heart and the boardroom’s spreadsheet. Properties that deliver both are the ones that win. Sponsorships are increasingly evaluated against business outcomes such as reach, engagement, brand lift and customer acquisition. If a property cannot consistently deliver against those objectives, budgets naturally shift towards platforms that can demonstrate stronger performance. This is not a football-specific challenge but a reflection of how the marketing ecosystem has evolved. Brands today are not just choosing between football and cricket; they are also evaluating women’s sports, kabaddi, volleyball, creator ecosystems and digital-first platforms. As a result, football properties need to demonstrate tangible business value beyond traditional visibility-led sponsorships. Ultimately, emotional affinity may start a partnership, but measurable outcomes sustain it.

Lloyd Mathias (LM): Football in India has had a couple of resurgences over the years, most recently driven by corporate involvement and the Indian Super League. However, stakeholders eventually recognised that it wasn’t progressing as expected. That said, it’s difficult to write off football in India. Sooner rather than later, it will regain momentum. The recent challenges have been twofold. First, exposure to international football and global club leagues has made Indian football pale in comparison, leading to a significant drop in interest. Second, India’s performance hasn’t been inspiring, which has also affected enthusiasm around the sport.

Now that Zee has secured the broadcast deal for the next eight years, there will be significant buzz around football. Sooner or later, some marketers will recognise that cricket is a crowded space. Whether they back Indian football specifically remains to be seen, but they will certainly support football as a property.

Is it the case that the Women’s T20 World Cup commences on the same day as the FIFA World Cup?

VN: I don’t see this as a football-versus-cricket battle. Both properties cater to different audience segments and marketing objectives. FIFA will continue attracting global, premium and youth-centric brands seeking cultural relevance and passionate fan communities. ICC Women’s T20 World Cup could witness significant traction only if India progresses deep into the tournament, particularly in the knockout stages. Women-focused brands and those championing inclusivity may find stronger alignment with the Women’s T20 World Cup. For brands, the decision will largely come down to audience fit rather than sport preference.

LM: I think they cater to relatively different audiences. A lot of the football World Cup matches will happen between midnight and the early hours of the morning. The football audience is also generally quite different, predominantly male and heavily invested in the sport. So I don’t think there will be major competition between the two properties, nor do I see brands pulling money out of one to invest in the other.

To what extent have the tournament timings impacted brand interest for this year’s FIFA World Cup?

VN: Global football tournaments often face scheduling challenges due to time-zone differences, which can impact broadcaster economics and advertising inventory. However, core football audiences have consistently proven they will consume the product regardless of kick-off timings. Historically, timing has never been a major barrier for Indian football fans. The UEFA Champions League has drawn audiences despite midnight kick-offs, while the FIFA World Cup in Brazil was followed enthusiastically across the country. As a result, the commercial model becomes less about demand generation and more about pricing strategy, audience segmentation and inventory optimisation.

As tournaments move into the knockout stages, football traditionally attracts a much broader audience beyond its core fan base. From the quarter-finals onward, casual viewers enter the ecosystem, and viewership accelerates significantly. I would not be surprised if we see strong consumption numbers and several viewership benchmarks surpassed during this edition of the FIFA World Cup.

LM: Europe has historically worked well because many games would begin from around 8pm onwards, which is much more accessible for Indian audiences. This is going to be a serious challenge. Having said that, the FIFA World Cup is such a highly anticipated event that even casual football viewers get involved, especially in the latter stages of the tournament. So I still believe there will be strong visibility and considerable excitement around the event despite the timings.

Beyond the World Cup, have you seen stronger brand and broadcaster interest in properties such as the Premier League and UEFA Champions League in recent years?

VN: Not significantly. Broadcaster priorities have increasingly shifted towards cricket-led properties because they deliver predictable scale and advertising returns. Football’s value proposition should not be judged solely through ratings. Its strengths lie in audience quality, loyalty, affinity and premium consumer cohorts; metrics that often deserve greater attention in sponsorship conversations.

LM: They do because brands are taking long-term positions with those leagues. However, the World Cup is a special tournament. It is a once-in-four-years opportunity. While some brands may become interested only during the World Cup, others build around football consistently over the long term.

For this year’s tournament, do you anticipate brands leaning more towards creator-led and non-live content integrations instead of traditional broadcaster partnerships?

VN: Creator-led collabs will certainly grow because they provide cost-efficient access to highly engaged fan communities. However, they should complement, not replace, live broadcast partnerships. The core value of the FIFA World Cup remains the live sporting experience. Social media can amplify conversations, but it cannot replicate the scale, emotion and cultural impact of a live match. What will be particularly interesting this edition is the rise of real-time creator marketing around match results, player performances, viral moments and meme culture. Brands that can react quickly to on-field narratives and fan conversations will be able to generate significant engagement beyond the live broadcast itself.

LM: There will be a lot of engagement with content creators. Many brands will take active positions by involving influencers because football audiences tend to be younger and highly active on social media. That makes influencers a very important part of the overall marketing strategy. Brands will definitely involve them in campaign build-ups. I also expect to see former football stars, studio appearances, expert panels, and creator-led conversations becoming a significant part of the coverage and engagement ecosystem.

This article first appeared in the June issue of Manifest. Get your copy here.