JioStar has expanded its commercial portfolio for the ongoing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, confirming a slate of broadcast partnerships on Star Sports that underline sustained advertiser demand for premium cricket inventory.
The network has onboarded Emirates as a co-powered by broadcast partner, alongside Rapido, Mahindra Auto and Kamla Pasand Pan Masala as associate broadcast partners for its linear coverage of the tournament.
The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, being staged across India and Sri Lanka, remains one of global cricket’s marquee events, delivering multi-week appointment viewing and significant reach across urban and regional markets.
Emirates, the Dubai-based international airline, steps into a top-tier broadcast integration role through its co-powered by association. The partnership strengthens the airline’s long-standing alignment with global cricket and premium sporting properties, reinforcing brand visibility across one of the sport’s most commercially valuable territories.
Rapido’s association reflects the continued participation of India’s fast-scaling consumer technology platforms in live sports broadcasting. As a mobility service with deep penetration across Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, the company is expected to leverage the tournament’s reach to drive brand recall and user acquisition during the high-engagement tournament window.
Mahindra Auto’s presence as an associate broadcast partner further highlights the automotive sector’s reliance on cricket to sustain national brand equity. With cricket delivering consistent mass-market exposure, the association offers an opportunity to reinforce product positioning across diverse consumer segments.
Kamla Pasand Pan Masala has also joined as an associate broadcast partner, continuing the category’s traditional investment in high-frequency cricket programming to secure widespread brand visibility.
The latest additions add to JioStar’s growing roster of sponsors across broadcast and digital platforms for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. Industry analysts note that multi-week ICC tournaments continue to command strong advertiser confidence, particularly on linear television, where live sports remain one of the few formats capable of delivering simultaneous mass audiences at scale.
As the tournament progresses, further commercial integrations and category partnerships are expected to shape one of the most competitive advertising cycles in recent global cricket history.
