India app sorry over World Cup buffering issues

An Indian app has apologised after viewers complained about the "poor quality" of its broadcast of the first match of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Reliance Jio won the rights to livestream the mega sporting event in India.

The company made the stream available for free on its flagship Jio Cinema app, and also on its website.

But upset fans complained that its poor quality "ruined" their experience of the World Cup.

The tournament kicked off on Sunday with an opening ceremony at Al-Bayt Stadium in Qatar.

As the first match between hosts Qatar and Ecuador got underway, several viewers said they faced lags in the livestream. The visitors won the match 2-0.

Jio Cinema, which is owned by Indian billionaire Mukesh Ambani, was quick to apologise to viewers for the inconvenience its app had caused and asked viewers to upgrade their apps for a better experience.

"We are continuously working to give you a great experience. Please upgrade your app to the latest version to enjoy #FIFAWorldCupQatar2022. Apologies for any inconvenience," Jio Cinema tweeted.

But viewers continued to face issues with the broadcast throughout the match.

As fans aired their frustration on Twitter, Jio Cinema tried to lighten the mood with a meme from the TikTok app.

But fans were unimpressed.

"Streaming is lagging a lot. I even missed the first two goals of this year's FIFA world cup," one user wrote. "Really disappointed."

Many said they wished other tried and tested competitors had received the rights for the broadcast. Some others hoped the app would fix its issues ahead of the rest of the tournament.