Thailand to Broadcast World Cup: Decoding License Costs in the Era of Private Leadership, End of Must-Have Rule?

Finally, Thai football fans will not have to wait until the last second as in previous tournaments, as insider reports confirm that JAS has successfully secured the broadcasting rights for the 2026 FIFA World Cup finals. They are preparing to hold an official press conference tomorrow (11 Jun 2026 GMT+7) to explain the details and viewing channels.

Amid the excitement of football fans, an equally interesting aspect beyond the match results is the "value of this deal" and the "business model" that has changed, as this could mark a major turning point in the sports broadcasting rights industry in Thailand.

Looking back at the painful reasons why Thailand had to pay high prices and only got to watch at the "last minute" each time.

Thailand gets to watch the World Cup. If you recall, during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Thailand almost missed live broadcasts due to the extremely high budget, estimated at around 1.2 to 1.4 billion baht. At that time, funding had to rely on the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) budget and a fundraising effort from major public and private sectors working together, managing to close the deal just a few days before the tournament started.

The main reasons that made Thailand’s past license negotiations lengthy and costly include:

The NBTC’s Must Have / Must Carry rule, which mandates that the World Cup finals must be broadcast "free" to the public on free TV through all channels. This discouraged individual private companies from bidding, as they could not charge Pay-TV subscription fees to generate exclusive profits. As a result, no one was willing to lead the purchase, forcing the government to step in to support.

The upgrade and expansion by FIFA for the 2026 World Cup increased teams from 32 to 48 nations and matches from 64 to 104. Naturally, FIFA used this as a basis to raise the license fee caps globally.

Analyzing the JAS deal: money, platforms, and business survival strategies.

JAS’s entry, backed by strong partner MONO, clearly signals the end of the "state-funded pooling model" and the full transition into a commercial era.

Thailand gets to watch the World Cup: how much is the license fee this time?

Although the official figure will be revealed tomorrow, it is estimated based on previous prices and the increased number of matches (104) that the license value in Thailand will not be less than 1.2 to 1.5 billion baht. The question is: how will JAS recoup their investment?

Likely viewing models.

• Streaming/Pay-TV: The primary platform expected to deliver all matches is MONOMAX and the group’s OTT channels, possibly via special subscription packages or bundled with existing packages to retain long-term subscribers.
• Free TV (per legal requirements): According to NBTC regulations (unless fully amended), key matches or a specified number of matches must be broadcast live on free TV (such as MONO29 or partnering free-to-air channels) to provide free access to the public. However, viewing quality, clarity, and exclusive matches will likely be focused on paid platforms.

Conclusion: A turning point in Thailand’s sports media industry.

Thailand gets to watch the World Cup. JAS closing the deal well before the tournament suggests FIFA may have relaxed some conditions, or Thailand has adapted to a more global business model by allowing licensees full commercial management rights to ensure profitability.