Astro loses Malaysia 2026 FIFA World Cup rights
Malaysia’s 2026 FIFA World Cup media rights have shifted from Astro to a RTM and Unifi TV partnership backed by government funding and a wider free-to-air and streaming distribution plan.
Malaysia’s 2026 FIFA World Cup broadcast rights have moved to a partnership between public broadcaster RTM and Telekom Malaysia’s Unifi TV, ending Astro’s two-decade run as the tournament’s main domestic carrier.The change resets the market heading into an expanded 48-team event, with more inventory to monetise and a bigger compliance burden around piracy and commercial screenings.Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil said: “The government is committed to ensuring all Malaysians can enjoy the 2026 FIFA World Cup in an inclusive, legitimate and comprehensive manner.“We will collaborate with the private sector to ensure high-quality broadcasting and wide reach, while public screenings will also be organised to boost fan engagement.”Unifi TV is expected to carry all 104 matches live, while RTM will show most matches either live or on a delayed basis across its platforms, including free-to-air distribution via MyTV and streaming via RTM Klik.Fahmi said the government allocated RM24m to secure the rights package, and that broadcast sponsors had been identified and were being finalised.Astro said its bid was unsuccessful after it made what it described as a fair and competitive offer that was not accepted by FIFA.The pay-TV operator linked the outcome to the rising cost base for premium sports rights, widespread piracy and weaker commercial viability tied to match timings and limited lead time to build advertising campaigns.Astro said it is in discussions with the new rights holders about potential carriage of matches across its own platforms, including Astro, NJOI and its Sooka streaming service, which would create a sublicensing layer and retain some audience share.The switch gives RTM a major tentpole property to drive reach and public value objectives, while Unifi TV gains a premium live-sport acquisition that can support broadband and pay-TV bundling across Telekom Malaysia’s footprint.It also increases competitive pressure on Astro’s sports proposition in a market where major events have historically been used to defend churn, justify pricing and anchor commercial packages with advertisers and venue operators.With official public screenings and anti-piracy messaging highlighted by government, rights enforcement and licensing for commercial premises are likely to be closely watched in the run-up to the tournament.