FIFA has launched media rights auctions for the next three World Cups in Thailand, Malaysia, and Laos. The tenders cover the men’s tournaments in 2026 and 2030, as well as the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil.
The bidding procedure began Monday, with the submission deadline set for April 1 at 10 a.m. CET. Interested parties can acquire tender materials from FIFA’s official contact emails for each nation.
The 2026 tournament, co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada, will include 48 teams competing in 104 matches. A record eight Asian teams will participate. The 2030 World Cup will be mostly hosted by Spain, Portugal, and Morocco, with commemorative matches in Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay to honour the tournament’s 100th anniversary.
Thailand, Laos, and Malaysia did not qualify for the 2022 Men’s or 2023 Women’s World Cups. Thailand did, however, compete in the 2019 World Cup. In Thailand, a former requirement for free-to-air broadcasting was eliminated in 2023, allowing pay-TV networks to bid. Malaysia’s previous World Cup coverage was split between the pay-TV powerhouse Astro and the free-to-air network RTM.
