Four ASEAN nations remain without broadcast rights as seven ASEAN countries have recently acquired the rights to air the 2026 World Cup.
On 27 May 2026 GMT+7, the latest list of ASEAN countries that have purchased the broadcast rights for the final stage of the 2026 World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada from 11 June to 19 July, was revealed.
According to the latest information from the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), seven out of eleven ASEAN nations have secured the broadcast rights for the 2026 World Cup finals. The official rights holders are named as follows.
1. Cambodia – Hang Meas TV
2. Indonesia – TVRI, FolaPlay, Telkomsel
3. Philippines – Aleph Group, TAP DMV, Cignal PPV
4. Singapore – Mediacorp
5. Timor-Leste – RTTL, ETO
6. Vietnam – VTV
7. Malaysia – RTM, Unifi TV
The four ASEAN countries that have not yet purchased the broadcast rights for the 2026 World Cup finals are Thailand, Myanmar, Brunei, and Laos.
FIFA is actively negotiating the sale of broadcast rights with interested countries, requiring comprehensive coverage of the expanded 2026 World Cup, which will feature 48 teams and 104 matches throughout the tournament.
However, the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) has removed the World Cup finals from the Must Have list, making it uncertain whether Thai viewers will see the 2026 World Cup broadcast on free-to-air television.
A major issue is that FIFA has set the broadcast rights fee for Thailand at as high as 1.3 billion baht. Including operational costs, the total could reach 1.7 billion baht, leading the Thai government and private sector to consider the investment not cost-effective, especially as the broadcast times do not align well with the lifestyles of most Thai people.