RTM and Unifi TV secure rights to air World Cup matches in Malaysia
KUALA LUMPUR: Football fans are in for a treat as the 2026 Fifa World Cup will be broadcast free-to-air via RTM and Unifi TV, says Datuk Fahmi Fadzil (pic).
The Communications Minister said both Unifi TV and RTM secured the broadcasting rights for the World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19.
Fahmi said he was not involved in the negotiations to secure the broadcasting rights with Fifa.
“But the government has allocated a total of RM24mil for the purpose.
“The 2026 World Cup will be aired on various platforms, including free-to-air TV via MyTV, RTM Klik and Unifi TV to ensure access for Malaysians across the country.
“All 104 matches will be aired live on Unifi TV, while RTM will air a majority of the matches, either live or delayed.
“This will give a variety of choices to fans,” he said during his weekly press conference yesterday.
Fahmi added that several main sponsors have been identified and will be revealed soon.
This will be the first World Cup hosted by three nations, spanning 11 cities in the United States, three in Mexico and two in Canada.
On a separate matter, Fahmi said Putrajaya has not ruled out the possibility of a coordinated campaign in spreading fake news regarding the global energy crisis.
He said the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) had identified over 600 pieces of fake content between March 29 and May 6.
“These posts primarily touched on sensitive economic issues, including fuel prices, the Strait of Hormuz toll issue and the broader global supply crisis.
“From MCMC’s investigations, we cannot rule out the possibility of spreading false information, known as Coordinated Inauthentic Behaviour (CIB).
“This is considering that a number of these posts use the exact same graphics, appear within roughly the same time frame and attempt to achieve widespread distribution,” he said.
Fahmi said the authorities would take stern action against those found to be spreading such misinformation.
To date, five cases have been brought to court, while another eight have been issued compounds.
“The total compounds amounted to RM200,000, which is RM25,000 per person,” he said.
The remaining cases are currently under investigation or have been forwarded to the Attorney General’s Chambers for further advice and follow-up action by the MCMC.
