The Thai government, led by Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, is working to secure broadcasting rights for the upcoming football tournament scheduled from June 11 to July 19. Anutin announced steps to potentially broadcast the matches for Thai viewers, but did not specify if these will be free-to-air. Coordination between the Public Relations Department (PRD) and the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) is underway to outline the acquisition process.
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Previously, NBTC Chairman Sarana Boonbaichaiyapruck had discussed with the Prime Minister about acquiring broadcast rights from FIFA. They agreed that the PRD would spearhead the planning and submit a proposal to the NBTC. The financial aspects remain unclear, pending a finalized proposal from the PRD.
NBTC's acting secretary-general, Trairat Viriyasirikul, mentioned that if government assistance is required for funding, the NBTC board must approve it. An insider hinted that a few hundred million baht might be manageable for the board, but larger sums would require a deeper assessment to justify the expense.
The estimated cost for Thailand is between 1.5 and 1.6 billion baht. The matches aren’t mandated to be aired free-to-air under current "Must Have" rules, complicating public access. The last World Cup saw NBTC fund 600 million baht for rights, leading to unresolved disputes with the Sports Authority of Thailand and private sponsors.
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Adapted by ASEAN Now · Thai PBS · 12 May 2026
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