India is one of the world’s largest sports markets, with over 1.4 billion people following cricket, football, kabaddi, and many international sports. Over the past two decades, sports broadcasting in the country has evolved from a single state-run broadcaster into a competitive multi-network ecosystem.
As of 2026, major networks such as Star Sports (under JioStar), Sony Sports Network, Sports18, DD Sports, and Eurosport India broadcast live sports across cable, satellite, and digital platforms.
This article breaks down each network, its key channels, major sports rights, and where fans can watch different events.
Which Channels Broadcast Sports in India?
The table below lists down major networks and their channels which broadcast sports in India:
| Network | Channel | Language | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Star Sports Network (JioStar) | Star Sports 1 | English | SD + HD |
| Star Sports 1 Tamil | Tamil | SD + HD | |
| Star Sports 1 Telugu | Telugu | SD + HD | |
| Star Sports 1 Kannada | Kannada | SD + HD | |
| Star Sports 2 Hindi | Hindi | SD + HD | |
| Star Sports 2 Telugu | Telugu | SD + HD | |
| Star Sports 2 Tamil | Tamil | SD + HD | |
| Star Sports 2 Kannada | Kannada | SD + HD | |
| Star Sports Khel | Hindi | SD | |
| Star Sports Select 1 | English | SD + HD | |
| Star Sports Select 2 | English | SD + HD | |
| Sony Sports Network | Sony Sports Ten 1 | English | SD + HD |
| Sony Sports Ten 2 | English | SD + HD | |
| Sony Sports Ten 3 | Hindi | SD + HD | |
| Sony Sports Ten 4 | Telugu | HD | |
| Sony Sports Ten 5 | English | SD + HD | |
| Doordarshan / Prasar Bharati | DD Sports | Hindi / English | SD |
| DD Sports HD | Hindi / English | HD | |
| Eurosport India | Eurosport India | English | SD |
| Eurosport India HD | English | HD |
Now, let us have a look at each network in a little detail.
Star Sports Network
Star Sports Network is India’s largest and most dominant sports broadcasting platform, now operating under JioStar, a joint venture formed in November 2024 between Reliance Industries (holding a combined 63.16% stake) and The Walt Disney Company (36.84%).
In March 2025, following the integration of Sports18 channels, Star Sports expanded its portfolio to 24 channels, cementing its position as the undisputed leader in Indian sports broadcasting.
Background & Ownership
Star Sports traces its origins to 1991, when Hong Kong-based Star TV launched Prime Sports in partnership with American company TCI. In 1996, it merged operations with ESPN International to form ESPN Star Sports, a Singapore-based joint venture. News Corporation acquired ESPN’s stake in 2013. Disney acquired 21st Century Fox in 2019, bringing Star India under its umbrella. In November 2024, Disney Star and Viacom18 (owned by Reliance) merged to create JioStar, a landmark $8.5 billion deal that brought together Star Sports and Sports18 under a single roof.
Main Channels
On 15 March 2025, JioStar officially integrated all Sports18 channels into the Star Sports Network, expanding the total to 24 channels in Standard Definition (SD) and High Definition (HD) across multiple regional languages. The official JioStar announcement confirmed the new lineup:
| Channel | Language | Format | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Star Sports 1 | English / Hindi | SD + HD | Flagship channel; primary home of TATA IPL and ICC events |
| Star Sports 1 Tamil | Tamil | SD + HD | Formerly Star Sports 4; Tamil commentary on marquee events |
| Star Sports 1 Telugu | Telugu | SD + HD | Launched December 2018; Telugu-language sports coverage |
| Star Sports 1 Kannada | Kannada | SD + HD | Launched December 2018; Kannada-language sports coverage |
| Star Sports 2 Hindi | Hindi | SD + HD | Formerly Sports18 1; rebranded March 15, 2025 |
| Star Sports 2 Telugu | Telugu | SD + HD | Formerly Sports18 2; rebranded March 15, 2025 |
| Star Sports 2 Tamil | Tamil | SD + HD | Formerly Sports18 3; rebranded March 15, 2025 |
| Star Sports 2 Kannada | Kannada | SD + HD | Formerly Sports18 Khel equivalent; rebranded March 15, 2025 |
| Star Sports Khel | Hindi | SD | Dedicated to domestic leagues; now available on all DTH/cable |
| Star Sports Select 1 | English | SD + HD | Premium international content |
| Star Sports Select 2 | English | SD + HD | Premium international content |
Sports Covered
Star Sports holds broadcast rights to an extensive portfolio of domestic and international sporting properties. Key rights as confirmed by JioStar include:
Cricket
- International Cricket Council (ICC): all ICC tournaments, including the T20 World Cup, Champions Trophy, and World Test Championship
- Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI): all home series of the Indian cricket team
- TATA Indian Premier League (IPL): India’s premier T20 franchise league
- TATA Women’s Premier League (WPL): India’s women’s T20 franchise league
- Cricket Australia: Australian home series and Big Bash League (BBL)
- Cricket South Africa: SA20 (South Africa’s T20 league)
Football
- English Premier League (EPL): via a $65 million deal with JioStar, valid through the 2027–28 season
- Indian Super League (ISL): India’s top-flight football league
- Bundesliga: Germany’s top football division
Other Sports
- Pro Kabaddi League: India’s biggest kabaddi franchise league
- Wimbledon: the prestigious grass-court Grand Slam
- FIH (Fédération Internationale de Hockey) events
- Badminton World Federation (BWF): international badminton events
- Premier Badminton League (PBL)
- ONE Championship: mixed martial arts
- Formula 1 Grand Prix (shared broadcast)
Major Broadcasts
Star Sports is the official Indian broadcaster for some of the country’s most-watched sporting events. It holds the IPL television rights, one of the most valuable sports media properties in Asia, along with ICC events, ensuring it remains the dominant destination for cricket fans. Its Premier League deal, sealed with JioStar in 2024 for all 380 matches per season through 2027–28, makes it a leading football broadcaster as well. With a presence in 8 out of 10 television homes across India, Star Sports reaches a vast, diverse audience across every region and language.
Sony Sports Network
The Sony Sports Network, also known as Sony TEN, is India’s second-largest sports broadcasting group. It is owned by Culver Max Entertainment (formerly Sony Pictures Networks India), a subsidiary of Sony Pictures Entertainment.
The network’s origins date back to 2002, when the original TEN Sports channel was established by Abdul Rahman Bukhatir. Sony acquired the TEN channels in August 2016 and merged them with its existing Sony ESPN and Sony Six channels to form the Sony Pictures Sports Network in 2017. The group was rebranded as the Sony Sports Network in October 2022 under the global Sony television identity.
Main Channels
As of 2025, the Sony Sports Network operates the following channels under the ‘Sony Sports Ten’ prefix:
| Channel | Language / Focus | Format | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sony Sports Ten 1 | English (Multi-sports) | SD + HD | World Athletics, Asian Games, Commonwealth Games, Sukma Games |
| Sony Sports Ten 2 | Football-dedicated | SD + HD | Primary football channel; home of UEFA club competitions and ISL 2025-26 |
| Sony Sports Ten 3 Hindi | Hindi (Multi-sports) | SD + HD | Hindi commentary for marquee events; rebranded July 2025 |
| Sony Sports Ten 4 Telugu | Telugu (Multi-sports) | HD | Launched July 10, 2025; Telugu-language sports coverage |
| Sony Sports Ten 4 Tamil | Tamil (Multi-sports) | SD | Launched July 10, 2025 (SD feed of Ten 4); Tamil-language sports coverage |
| Sony Sports Ten 5 | English (Premium) | SD + HD | Premium English-language sports content; formerly Sony Six |
| Sony Sports Ten 4 Kannada | Kannada | Launching April 2026 | Upcoming Kannada-language channel |
Sports Covered
Cricket
- Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB): exclusive TV rights for Pakistan’s home series and the 2025 Pakistan Super League (PSL), secured in February 2025
- England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB): England home series broadcast rights in India
- New Zealand Cricket (NZC): New Zealand home series
- Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC): Sri Lankan home series
- Asian Cricket Council (ACC): ACC events, including Asia Cup
- Over 1,800 hours of live cricket programming planned for 2025, as confirmed by Sony’s CRO Rajesh Kaul
Football
- UEFA Champions League: exclusive Indian broadcast rights for 2024–25 through 2026–27 (3-year renewal)
- UEFA Europa League: exclusive rights through the 2026–27 season
- UEFA Conference League: exclusive rights for 2024–25, 2025–26, and 2026–27
- UEFA Super Cup: 2024–25 through 2026–27
- Euro 2024 and Euro 2028: exclusive Indian subcontinent broadcast rights
- English FA Cup: live coverage on Sony Ten 2 and SonyLIV
- Indian Super League (ISL) 2025–26: exclusive Indian TV rights, with primary telecast on Sony Sports Ten 2 (sublicensed from FanCode)
Other Sports
- French Open (Roland Garros): tennis Grand Slam; also co-streamed with FanCode digitally in 2025
- WWE: professional wrestling programming
- World Athletics Championships
- Asian Games and Commonwealth Games
Major Broadcasts
Star Sports and JioHotstar recently set a global benchmark during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. The semi-final clash between India and England on March 5, 2026, shattered all previous records with a peak digital concurrency of 65.2 million viewers on JioHotstar. This surpassed the previous world record of 65 million (held by Netflix for the Paul vs. Tyson bout), cementing JioStar’s status as the world’s leading digital sports broadcaster.
Sports18 Network
Sports18 was the sports broadcasting arm of Viacom18, a joint venture between Reliance Industries and (until the JioStar merger) Paramount Global. It was launched as part of Viacom18’s expansion into live sports in India.
Following the landmark merger of Viacom18 and Disney Star in November 2024 to form JioStar, the Sports18 channels were officially integrated into the Star Sports Network with effect from 15 March 2025, as confirmed by JioStar’s official press release. Sports18, as an independent brand, no longer exists.
Background
Sports18 launched with the ambition of challenging Star Sports’ dominance by acquiring major sports rights, particularly for cricket and football. It held the digital streaming rights to the IPL from 2023 through its associated platform JioCinema (now JioHotstar after the merger). In a definitive shift for India’s digital landscape, the unified streaming platform JioHotstar officially launched on February 14, 2025, successfully absorbing both JioCinema and Disney+ Hotstar. By early 2026, the platform had consolidated its dominance, reaching a massive milestone of over 500 million active users. It now serves as the exclusive digital home for major properties like the IPL, the ICC T20 World Cup, and the English Premier League, offering a unified subscription model starting at ₹149 per quarter.
Channel Rebrand (as of March 15, 2025)
According to the Business Standard and JioStar’s official announcement (March 17, 2025), the former Sports18 channels were rebranded as follows:
| Former Sports18 Channel | New Star Sports Brand |
|---|---|
| Sports18 1 | Star Sports 2 Hindi (SD + HD) |
| Sports18 2 | Star Sports 2 Telugu (SD + HD) |
| Sports18 3 | Star Sports 2 Tamil (SD + HD) |
| Sports18 Khel | Star Sports Khel (now on all DTH/cable platforms) |
| Sports18 Khel HD | Star Sports 2 Kannada (SD + HD) |
The rebrand expanded JioStar’s sports network to a total of 24 channels, offering broad coverage in SD and HD formats across multiple Indian languages.
Sports Previously Covered by Sports18
Before the merger, Sports18 held or shared rights to:
- Indian Premier League (IPL): JioCinema (Sports18’s digital arm) held the digital streaming rights for IPL 2023 onwards, while Star Sports held the TV broadcast rights
- Formula 1 Grand Prix: live race broadcast
- La Liga: Spanish football league
- Serie A: Italian football league
- UFC: Ultimate Fighting Championship
- NBA: National Basketball Association
- Wrestling (WWE events, shared with Sony)
Following the merger, these rights are now managed under the consolidated JioStar/Star Sports umbrella, with distribution strategies coordinated across both TV and digital platforms.
DD Sports
DD Sports is India’s only state-owned sports television channel and the country’s sole free-to-air (FTA) national sports broadcaster.
It is owned by the Government of India under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, and operated by Prasar Bharati, India’s public service broadcaster.
As the public broadcasting arm, DD Sports holds a unique position: while private networks compete for pay-TV subscribers, DD Sports reaches millions of viewers who access it without a subscription, including those on DD Free Dish, India’s free DTH platform.
Background & Launch
DD Sports was launched on 18 March 1998 under the Doordarshan family of networks. It initially broadcast sports programmes for six hours a day, which was expanded to 12 hours by 1999. From 1 June 2000, it transitioned to a 24-hour satellite channel.
Between 2000 and 2003, it operated as an encrypted pay channel before becoming permanently free-to-air on 15 July 2003, making it the only free sports channel in India at the time. It continues to broadcast from the Central Production Centre in Delhi.
Main Channels
| Channel | Type | Platform | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| DD Sports (SD) | Free-to-Air | DD Free Dish, Cable, Satellite | Primary state-run sports channel; available nationwide |
| DD Sports (HD) | Free-to-Air | DD Free Dish (HD), Select DTH | HD version of DD Sports |
DD Sports is accessible via the Prasar Bharati Waves App for digital streaming: a dual broadcast model confirmed by the AIFF in February 2026 for the Indian Football League 2025–26 season.
Sports Covered
Cricket
- Under the Indian government’s Sports Broadcasting Signals (Mandatory Sharing with Prasar Bharati) Act, private broadcasters holding rights to sporting events of ‘national importance’, including Indian cricket matches, must share their feed with Doordarshan for free retransmission on DD Free Dish
- ICC Champions Trophy 2025 final (IND vs NZ) was available on DD Sports for DD Free Dish users
- International cricket matches involving the Indian team are regularly made available through this mandatory sharing framework
Football
- Indian Football League (IFL) 2025–26: Doordarshan was appointed the official broadcast partner by AIFF, with all matches telecast live on DD Sports and streamed on the Waves App
- National and regional football tournaments
Other Sports
- Hockey: national and international tournaments, including FIH events
- Kabaddi: Pro Kabaddi and national Kabaddi championships
- Kho-Kho: traditional Indian sport
- Athletics: national championships, Commonwealth Games, Asian Games
- Badminton: national championships and selected international events
- Wrestling: national and international competitions
- Archery: national events
- Swimming: national championships
- Tennis: Davis Cup and selected ATP/WTA coverage (mandated by court order since 2019)
- Rural and indigenous sports: including events like the Kila Raipur Sports Festival (the ‘Rural Olympics’ of Punjab), bullock-cart races, and other traditional sports unique to India’s sporting culture
Major Broadcasts & Public Interest Role
DD Sports plays a constitutionally important role in Indian sports broadcasting, ensuring that marquee national sporting events are accessible to every citizen, regardless of economic status. By mandating the sharing of feeds from events of national importance, the government ensures that DD Sports viewers (particularly those without pay-TV access) can watch India’s biggest cricket matches and other major events. Prasar Bharati has transitioned into a digital-first public broadcaster with the launch of its dedicated OTT platform, Waves. For the Indian Football League (IFL) 2025-26 season (which kicked off on February 27, 2026), Doordarshan serves as the official partner. Every match is broadcast live on DD Sports and streamed globally via the Waves App, ensuring free-to-air access for the “second tier” of Indian football to reach a nationwide audience.
Eurosport India
Eurosport India is a pay television sports channel owned by Warner Bros. Discovery India, the Indian arm of the global media conglomerate Warner Bros. Discovery. It is part of the international Eurosport brand, which operates in 54 countries across 21 languages and had 157 million subscribers globally as of 2019. In India, it occupies a distinct niche: rather than competing directly with Star Sports or Sony Sports for mainstream cricket rights, Eurosport India focuses on international motorsports, cycling, and other European and global sporting properties that are underserved by the dominant networks.
Background & Launch
Eurosport India was launched in February 2017 as DSport, a joint venture between Discovery India and Lex Sportel. In January 2020, Lex Sportel parted ways with Discovery and launched its own channel, 1Sports. On 17 March 2020, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting granted approval to rebrand the channel from DSport to Eurosport, aligning it with Discovery’s global sports brand. Since rebranding, Eurosport India has focused on becoming the premier destination for motorsports and niche international sporting events in India.
Main Channels
| Channel | Type | Platform | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eurosport India (SD) | Pay-TV | Cable & Satellite DTH | Primary Indian channel; English commentary |
| Eurosport India HD | Pay-TV | Select DTH Platforms | High-definition version of the main channel |
Eurosport India is owned and operated by Warner Bros. Discovery India (formerly Discovery Networks International). Discovery’s digital platform, discovery+, complements linear Eurosport India broadcasts.
Sports Covered
Motorsports
- MotoGP (exclusive rights through 2026). In August 2024, MotoGP rights holder Dorna Sports and Eurosport India renewed their exclusive broadcast agreement through 2026. Coverage encompasses all MotoGP, Moto2, and Moto3 classes for India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and the Maldives
- F1 (shared/supplementary coverage of Formula 1 Grand Prix events)
Football
- Major League Soccer (MLS): In April 2025, Eurosport India secured exclusive MLS broadcast rights, positioning itself as the destination for ‘MLS Sunday Night Soccer.’
- FA Cup selected matches (shared with other broadcasters)
Other Sports
- Cycling: major international cycling events
- Combat sports and wrestling international events
- World Rally Championship (WRC)
- Major international snooker tournaments
- Golf international tour events
Major Broadcasts & Strategic Position
Eurosport India’s most significant current broadcast is MotoGP: a sport it has heavily invested in to grow India’s motorcycling audience, including the collaboration with cricketer Shikhar Dhawan to bridge the gap between India’s cricket-first sporting culture and international motorsports. Its MLS deal, announced in April 2025, signals a broader push into alternative football content. As India’s MotoGP exclusive broadcaster, Eurosport occupies a valuable niche: for motorsports fans, it is the only destination in the subcontinent for comprehensive race-weekend coverage. With Warner Bros. Discovery’s global scale and its growing Indian content strategy, Eurosport India continues to expand its portfolio of international sporting properties.
Comparative Overview: Sports Broadcasting Networks in India (2026)
| Network | Owner | No. of Channels | Key Sports Rights | Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Star Sports | JioStar (Reliance + Disney) | 24 (as of Mar 2025) | IPL, ICC, Premier League, ISL, Pro Kabaddi | Pay-TV |
| Sony Sports | Culver Max Entertainment (Sony) | 7 active (+ 1 upcoming) | UEFA CL/EL/UECL, ECB, NZC, PCB, ISL 2025-26 | Pay-TV |
| Sports18 | Merged into JioStar (Mar 2025) | – | Integrated into Star Sports Network | Rebranded |
| DD Sports | Prasar Bharati / Govt. of India | 1 SD + 1 HD | IFL 2025-26, mandatory ICC/BCCI sharing, Hockey | Free-to-Air |
| Eurosport India | Warner Bros. Discovery India | 1 SD + 1 HD | MotoGP (exclusive through 2026), MLS | Pay-TV |
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Conclusion
India’s sports broadcasting is more competitive and accessible than ever. The Star Sports Network (JioStar) leads with 24 channels and major cricket rights, while Sony Sports dominates European football via UEFA. DD Sports provides free-to-air coverage of national events, Eurosport India caters to niche international sports, and Sports18 has merged into Star Sports, together reflecting the rapid growth of sports media in India.
FAQs
Live cricket matches are broadcast on different TV channels depending on the country and the tournament. In India, major sports broadcasters include Star Sports, Sony Sports Network, and DD Sports. Many matches are also available through streaming platforms such as JioHotstar, Airtel Xstream, SonyLIV, and ICC.tv. In regions like the United States and Canada, international cricket is commonly shown on Willow TV.
Some popular platforms that offer free sports content include Pluto TV, Tubi, YouTube TV, Red Bull TV, The Roku Channel, BBC iPlayer, and SBS On Demand. These platforms provide access to live sports, highlights, documentaries, and other sports-related programming, though availability may vary by region.
Live cricket matches can be streamed online through platforms such as JioHotstar, SonyLIV, Airtel Xstream, and ICC.tv, depending on the broadcasting rights for the tournament in your region.
International sports events such as football, tennis, and cricket are commonly broadcast on channels like Star Sports, Sony Sports Network, and ESPN, depending on the specific event and country.
Yes, several apps offer free sports highlights and clips, including YouTube, Red Bull TV, and BBC iPlayer, where users can watch highlights, interviews, and sports-related content without a paid subscription.
