Deputy Minister of Digital Economy and Society Nan Boonthida said she cannot yet provide an answer when asked whether Thais will watch the 2026 World Cup for free, pointing out that the broadcasting rights fees are high, affecting countries worldwide.
At 18:10 on 11 May 2026 GMT+7 Ms. Nan Boonthida Somsachai, Deputy Minister of Digital Economy and Society, gave an interview at the Government House regarding the Cabinet's consideration of the issue of live broadcasting of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. She said, "As far as I know, many countries are currently discussing that the broadcasting rights fees for the World Cup are quite high. It is not only our country facing this issue; almost every country is concerned about these costs."
Regarding which agency will be the main broadcaster, Ms. Nan said that it remains to be seen whether it will be a government agency or private sector, because primarily, since the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) does not have a Must Have policy (which mandates that seven major national sports events, such as the World Cup and Olympics, must be broadcast free-to-air for public access), this means they have to consider whether, in the less than two months remaining, anyone will find a way to purchase the rights or use some method that is cost-effective if it is a private entity. Regarding the Cabinet, preliminary inquiries have been made, and it depends on how the rights holder will set the price given the short remaining time."
When asked again if, in principle, Thais will watch the World Cup for free, Ms. Nan replied that she cannot answer at this time. It depends on negotiations and which government funds might be used. She asked that the matter be left for each agency to review first and stated she is not aware of any private companies currently interested in purchasing the rights. ."