Korean Football Association Confirms Live Broadcasts for All Matches in 2026 World Cup

During the first match of Group A between South Korea and the Czech Republic at the 2026 North America World Cup, Son Heung-min and Lee Kang-in look toward the goal during a free kick in front of the opponent's penalty area at the Estadio Guadalajara in Mexico on June 11 (local time). [Photo=Yonhap News]

The Korean Football Association has received confirmation from FIFA that all matches of the 2026 North America World Cup will be broadcast in South Korea without interruption, easing concerns over potential disruptions. On June 24, the association stated that its president, Chung Mong-kyu, spoke with FIFA Secretary General Matthias Grafström on June 22 to directly address the domestic broadcasting rights and request FIFA's cooperation. The association reported that FIFA assured them that all matches would be broadcast as scheduled by South Korean broadcasters. The association added that if South Korea advances to the knockout stage, all matches involving the national team, as well as every game in the tournament, will be broadcast domestically as planned. Concerns over the World Cup broadcasts arose following a report by Japanese broadcaster TBS. On June 23, TBS reported that JTBC, the broadcaster responsible for airing all World Cup matches in South Korea, had failed to pay part of the broadcasting rights fees to FIFA. TBS claimed that if the outstanding payments were not made by the deadline, there was a risk that broadcasts in South Korea would be completely halted starting with the Round of 32 matches on June 29. In response, JTBC issued a statement on June 24, asserting that it would broadcast all matches of the 2026 FIFA North America World Cup, including the final, without any issues. They emphasized that they would provide live coverage of the South Korean national team's matches and the tournament's conclusion, urging the public not to be misled by incorrect information. Naver, which holds the exclusive online live streaming rights in South Korea, also stated that it is continuously monitoring the situation regarding the World Cup broadcasting rights and is preparing for stable service, including the upcoming match against South Africa. Meanwhile, TBS highlighted the financial difficulties faced by JTBC as a backdrop to the broadcasting controversy. JTBC secured the domestic broadcasting rights for approximately $125 million (about 190 billion won) but has struggled with negotiations to resell the rights to the three major terrestrial broadcasters (KBS, MBC, SBS). Ultimately, JTBC reached a joint broadcasting agreement with KBS, but reports indicate that KBS paid around 14 billion won for the rights. Under increasing financial pressure due to difficulties in monetizing the rights, JTBC applied for corporate rehabilitation last week.

* This article has been translated by AI.