BTV Secures 2026 World Cup Broadcast Rights

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs and the Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase have officially approved a proposal by Bangladesh Television (BTV) to acquire the “all-media broadcast rights” for the FIFA World Cup 2026. The state-owned broadcaster is set to procure these media rights directly from the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA), the global governing body for association football.

Official Committee Approvals

The decision was finalised on Sunday, 7 June 2026, during two separate high-level ministerial meetings held at the Bangladesh Secretariat in Dhaka.

• Policy Approval: The 17th meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs granted in-principle approval for the acquisition via the Direct Procurement Method (DPM). This came in response to a formal proposal submitted by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

• Financial Approval: Following the initial policy clearance, the 25th meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase formally reviewed and endorsed the financial expenditures associated with the procurement proposal on the exact same day.

Expenditure Breakdown and Procurement Details

According to the official proceedings of the cabinet committees, the total expenditure earmarked for securing the “all-media rights” from FIFA amounts to Tk 72,70,57,692 (seventy-two crore, seventy lakh, fifty-seven thousand, six hundred and ninety-two Taka). By utilizing the direct procurement method, BTV will bypass third-party intermediaries, establishing a direct contractual and financial agreement with FIFA.

The acquired “all-media rights” typically encompass comprehensive broadcasting privileges across various platforms. This generally ensures that the state broadcaster holds the mandate to transmit live tournament matches, highlights, and related content through traditional terrestrial television, digital streaming platforms, and satellite channels within the territorial jurisdiction of Bangladesh.

Context of the FIFA World Cup 2026

The FIFA World Cup 2026, which BTV has secured the broadcasting rights for, represents a historic milestone in international football. This iteration of the tournament will be the first to feature an expanded format consisting of 48 national teams, a significant increase from the 32-team format utilized in previous tournaments since 1998. Consequently, the total number of matches will increase to 104, substantially raising the volume of content to be broadcasted.

Furthermore, the tournament is scheduled to be co-hosted across North America by three nations: the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Matches will be distributed across 16 designated host cities. Given the geographical location of the host countries, the broadcasting schedule will align with North American time zones, necessitating structured broadcasting arrangements for viewers in Bangladesh.

The approval ensures that the state-owned media outlet retains the official capacity to provide nationwide access to the tournament. Historically, major sporting events like the FIFA World Cup draw massive viewership metrics in Bangladesh, making the acquisition of exclusive or comprehensive media rights a matter of significant public interest and state planning. The formal endorsement by both the economic and purchase committees satisfies the statutory regulatory requirements necessary for public fund allocation and international procurement by a state entity.