Omdia: World Cup drives a wave of switching, global TV shipments will exceed 210 million units in 2026

The Zhitong Finance App learned that according to the latest report released by Omdia, global annual television shipments are expected to exceed 210 million units in 2026, mainly driven by FIFA World Cup promotions. Global shipments are expected to increase by only about 1% year on year, as the boost brought by the competition will be partially offset by concerns about falling demand in the Chinese market and rising TV storage prices. Looking ahead, Omdia predicts global TV shipments will be close to 212 million units in 2029.

Regional growth trends in Europe and North America

The fastest-growing market is expected to be in Europe in 2026, with Western European TV shipments expected to grow by 3.2% and Eastern European shipments by 3.1%. The North American market, where the tournament is held, is also expected to achieve steady growth, with an increase of about 2.2%.

These positive growth expectations are in stark contrast to the Chinese market. TV shipments in China are expected to drop 4.7% year on year in 2026. Affected by the end of state subsidies, there was a 12% year-on-year decline in the third quarter of 2025. Previously, the policy artificially boosted market demand in 2025.

Matthew Rubin, senior analyst at Omdia TV Research, said: “Weak demand for Chinese TV in 2026 will have a profound impact on the global market. “Chinese brands will actively explore international markets to seek growth opportunities, which may further increase competitive pressure during a period of intensive marketing activities and strong demand.”

Emerging opportunities in India and Asia Pacific

In the long run, India is expected to become a key market for Chinese brands, driving competition and improving consumer choice. This focus on large and rapidly expanding markets will support growth in the Asia-Pacific region, and shipments are expected to increase 2.6% year-on-year in 2026. The region's compound annual growth rate (CAGR) is expected to be 2.2% from 2025 to 2029, making it the fastest growing region in the world.

Mini LED backlighting technology will continue to be the best-performing market segment, with an expected year-on-year increase of 16.9% in 2026 and a CAGR of 9.2% from 2025 to 2029. In this market segment, RGB Mini LED is gradually being used in the high-end price segment, but it is expected that the price will drop during the forecast period, and the market penetration rate will increase rapidly.