By Thai Newsroom Reporters
THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON SPORTS today (May 21) suggested the government negotiate a reduction in the high cost of the FIFA World Cup 2026 broadcasting rights for Thailand, compared to relatively low prices offered to China and India.
The House Committee on Sports’ deputy chair Watcharapon Tomornsak called on the Bhumjaithai-led government to negotiate with the FIFA for a substantial cut in the broadcasting rights for the FIFA World Cup 2026 football games scheduled between June 12 and July 20 and hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada in comparison to the relatively low prices provided for the world’s most-populated countries China and India.
Thailand with less than 70 million population is reportedly expected to pay 1.7 billion baht for the FIFA broadcasting rights whilst China and India with over a billion population each would pay less, primarily for commercial reasons, according to the Pheu Thai MP.
That compared to some 1.4 billion baht worth of the broadcasting rights which Thailand paid for the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar.
However, the House committee’s deputy chair declined to comment at what price he would probably find affordable for Thailand to pay for the FIFA broadcasting rights.
The Thai private sector would hardly be interested in sponsoring the world tournament mostly scheduled to play during a commercially unattractive period between 3.00 a.m. and 9.00 a.m. whilst the Must Have rules have already been lifted, thus ridding the National Broadcasting & Telecommunications Commission of the obligations to have the world football tournament broadcast live.
A total of 48 national soccer teams will play a total of 104 matches of the FIFA World Cup 2026, mostly during the wee hours in Thailand which has not yet qualified for it.
The NBTC has been earlier anticipated to funnel some funding primarily earmarked for its research and development projects to partly cover the broadcasting rights for the World Cup games amidst criticism that the agency has unnecessarily looked to squander the taxpayer’s money under the current, unfavourable economic environment.
Prime Minister’s Office Minister Supamas Isarabhakdi has recently considered the FIFA broadcasting rights which could probably amount to as much as two billion baht “unfairly costly” in comparison to those prices provided for the world’s most populated countries and not very cost-effective to this country.
CAPTIONS:
Top – FIFA World Cup trophy and ball. Photo – Alamy and published by BBC
Insert – The MetLife Stadium in New Jersey will host the 2026 World Cup final. Photo – Alamy and published by BBC
Front Page – FIFA World Cup trophy. Photo – Reuters and published by PPTVHD36
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