Indian digital sports streaming service FanCode has secured the rights to broadcast the imminent 2023 Rugby World Cup live in India, it has been reported.
The prospective deal would see the streaming service broadcast matches on its own app, as well as app extensions on platforms such as Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, and Samsung TV.
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The 20-team tournament will begin on September 8 with the opening match between host nation France and joint-record winners New Zealand.
In the past FanCode has broadcast rugby such as the 2022-23 edition of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series, which it won the rights to broadcast in December 2022, on its platform.
FanCode is also the broadcast partner of the Indian Rugby Football Union (IRFU), Indian rugby’s governing body.
FanCode as a result broadcasts Indian domestic rugby from its mens, womens and youth categories as part of its aim to help develop the rugby infrastructure in the country.
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By GlobalDataAt the time, IRFU president Rahul Bose stated: “The relationship with FanCode will definitely create data of 'why, what, where, and who' is watching and following this game online in India. We see this as the first step in a series of steps that will culminate over the next two years in Rugby hopefully becoming one of the top five sports on the top of every Indian sports lover's mind."
FanCode has tied up a number of media rights deals in recent months that indicate its growth ambitions in India. The service acquired the streaming rights to English soccer’s top-tier Women’s Super League (WSL) in March, to show the 2023-24 season.
The following month, Fancode also secured partial streaming rights for the FIFA Women’s World Cup of soccer.
Most recently, it acquired the rights to broadcast the Lanka Premier League, Sri Lanka’s Twenty20 cricket league, in India., Helping to expand its cricket offering in a nation where the domestic cricket rights are dominated by streaming service Star and new rights-holders Viacom18.
By comparison, FanCode’s cricket offering is limited in the country with the world’s largest cricket fanbase, however its range of sports offerings is larger than Star’s and Viacom 18s, with soccer, basketball, baseball and golf all offered alongside domestic sports such as kabaddi and the Khelo India youth games.
