ICC and JioStar clear the air on media rights deal
Published - 13 Dec 2025, 11:06 AM
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There was a lot of talk recently about a possible problem between the International Cricket Council (ICC) and JioStar, but both sides have now made things very clear. There have been rumors that the ICC and JioStar’s four-year India media rights agreement would end abruptly.
The buzz started after a report in The Economic Times claimed that JioStar had told the ICC it could not complete the remaining two years of their media-rights deal in India.
ICC and JioStar clear air on media rights amid exit rumours
If that had happened, the governing body would have had to find a new broadcaster for major ICC tournaments, including the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2026 in India and Sri Lanka.
However, the ICC and JioStar have both said that these reports are not true. They have confirmed that their media rights deal is still active and fully in place.
The agreement has not been cancelled or changed in any way. Both sides have also assured that cricket fans in India will continue to get smooth and uninterrupted coverage of all ICC events.
The ICC and JioStar said in a joint statement, “The International Cricket Council (ICC) and JioStar have noted recent media reports concerning the status of the ICC’s media rights agreement in India. These reports do not reflect the position of either organization.
The existing agreement between the ICC and JioStar remains fully in force, and JioStar continues as the ICC’s official media rights partner in India. Any suggestion that JioStar has withdrawn from the agreement is incorrect.”
JioStar fully committed to honoring its contract with ICC
The statement further reads: “JioStar is fully committed to honoring its contractual obligations in letter and spirit. Both organizations remain focused on delivering uninterrupted, world-class coverage of upcoming ICC events to fans across India, including the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, one of the sport’s most anticipated global tournaments.
Preparations for these events are progressing exactly as planned, and there is no impact on viewers, advertisers, or industry partners. ICC and JioStar, as long-term commercial partners, maintain regular communication on operational, commercial, and strategic matters focused on the role the partnership can play in growing the sport.
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JioStar was formed after the media business of Reliance Industries merged with the India operations of global entertainment company Walt Disney. Before this merger, Disney had won the ICC media rights for the 2024 to 2027 period in 2022, in a deal worth more than $3 billion.
ICC reveals Europe’s road to the 2028 T20 World Cup
Additionally, the ICC has announced how teams from Europe can begin their journey to qualify for the 2028 T20 World Cup. As part of this process, the ICC will organize three sub-regional qualification tournaments next year.
These tournaments will be hosted in Cyprus, Denmark, and Finland. A total of 30 European teams will take part in these qualification events in 2026. This will be the first step for them in trying to earn a place at the T20 World Cup, which will be played in Australia and New Zealand in 2028.
The ICC will announce the full match schedule, venues, and match timings after the conclusion of the 2026 T20 World Cup in March next year.
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