ST. JOHN’S, Antigua and Barbuda, May 6, 2026, 17:08 AST
Darren “IShowSpeed” Watkins Jr. is eyeing a return tour for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with India back on his itinerary. He dropped the news during a livestream from Antigua and Barbuda, part of his current Caribbean swing. The YouTube star’s comments could hint at how creators are gearing up to cover soccer’s biggest stage. Hindustan Times
Timing is key here. The World Cup kicks off June 11 and stretches to July 19, staged in the U.S., Mexico, and Canada. That’s 104 matches scattered across 16 venues—jamming travel influencers, rights holders, and social media heavyweights into one hectic window.
This also comes as FIFA ramps up its creator-focused approach. Back in March, FIFA tapped YouTube as a preferred platform for the tournament, giving official media partners rights to stream the opening 10 minutes of each match and a handful of selected games in full. Meanwhile, creators get broader behind-the-scenes access. FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafström called the move a way to “engage global fans” outside traditional broadcasts. Inside FIFA
“We still have a lot of surprises,” Watkins, 21, reassured his audience, before teasing that his next chapter would tie in with the World Cup. “Y’all know we’re going to be right back with another tour,” he added, per reports referencing the livestream. Sportskeeda
Watkins described India as unfinished business. “We’ve got to go to India,” he said, pointing out there’s “so much to explore there.” On his earlier trip, he admitted he’d only scratched the surface. Hindustan Times
According to Win.gg, those remarks came after his Caribbean IRL tour — that’s “in real life,” the public, travel-heavy livestream setup — and the planned World Cup leg was pitched as his next U.S. tour since the “Speed Does America” road trip. That earlier run, Win.gg noted, saw him streaming in 25 cities. Win
There’s a reason India’s on his itinerary. NDTV highlighted this week that Watkins, whose fanbase nears 55 million, made waves in Antigua by hitting the pitch at Sir Vivian Richards Stadium and directly challenging Virat Kohli—a move that shows how he’s weaving together football, cricket, and viral sports moments for South Asian fans.
Competition for media rights is fierce. Fox Sports and Telemundo hold the official U.S. broadcast licenses through 2026 for English and Spanish coverage, respectively. YouTube, meanwhile, remains on the sidelines as far as live matches go—its involvement is limited to content tied to FIFA, official media partners, or specific creators, not general match streaming.
But specifics remain thin. There’s no full itinerary, no word on match access, credentials, or confirmed India dates. Venue streaming? That’s up against FIFA’s rights constraints and local security demands. For now, the gap between this viral promise and an operational tour—one that actually gets through stadiums, fan zones, and borders cleanly—remains wide.
Here’s another twist for India. Reuters flagged this week that FIFA still hasn’t locked in broadcast agreements for India or China. In India, the situation remains unresolved, with Reliance-Disney and Sony both in talks, and FIFA confirming negotiations are still live in both countries. “Not much time is left but I won’t call it a stalemate,” Rohit Potphode, managing partner for sports at Dentsu India, told Reuters. Reuters
So far, the official word isn’t as sweeping as the wildest fan chatter. Watkins told fans he’s planning another tour timed to the World Cup—and India is on his wishlist. If that plan sticks, one of livestreaming’s top sports-adjacent names could be traveling through a tournament built to mix traditional TV, viral YouTube moments, and hands-on creator content.
