Thailand clinches World Cup broadcasting deal right before opener
Jasmine International Public Company Limited (JAS) secured the FIFA World Cup broadcasting rights for Thailand, ending months of uncertainty over how Thai football fans would be able to watch the tournament.
The agreement was confirmed yesterday, June 10, just one day before the opening match of the tournament. Until the announcement, Thailand was the only ASEAN country that had not named an official rights holder for the tournament.
The government had previously considered acquiring the broadcasting rights, but later decided against the purchase due to the cost. According to Nation, FIFA was seeking between 1.3 billion and 1.7 billion baht for the licence, which officials considered too expensive.
Authorities subsequently stated that relevant agencies would explore alternative solutions to ensure the tournament remained accessible to Thai audiences.
In recent weeks, speculation grew over whether a private company would step in to acquire the rights. The group operating in the digital media, telecommunications and technology sectors, JAS, emerged as the leading candidate following reports that it was in negotiations for the licence.
However, the company denied those reports two days ago, creating uncertainty among football supporters.
The situation was resolved yesterday when JAS announced on its official Facebook page that it had secured the FIFA World Cup broadcasting rights for Thailand.
The confirmation came just one day before the tournament’s opening match between Mexico and South Africa, which was scheduled to begin at 2am today, Thailand time.
JAS has not yet disclosed whether viewers will be able to watch the matches free of charge or whether access will require a paid subscription package. The company is expected to provide further details during a press conference scheduled from 2pm to 4pm today.
Thailand faced a similar situation ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, when broadcasting rights were secured less than two weeks before the opening match.
At that time, negotiations were complicated by the high cost of the licence and Thailand’s regulations requiring major sporting events to be available on free-to-air television.
The Office of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) eventually approved 600 million baht towards the purchase, while more than 1 billion baht was contributed by private-sector partners, with True Corporation serving as the main supporter.
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