Malaysia's World Cup Broadcast Deal Picks RTM and Unifi TV, Leaves Out Astro and Maxis
Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil confirmed that public broadcaster RTM and Unifi TV will carry all 104 matches of the 2026 World Cup in Malaysia through a partnership with Unifi, CelcomDigi and U Mobile. Astro and Maxis, the two operators with the strongest urban reach, were not included.
M alaysia has confirmed its broadcast plan for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with public broadcaster Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) and Unifi TV set to carry all 104 matches of the expanded tournament. Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil announced the deal at his weekly press conference at Angkasapuri, framing it as a strategic collaboration between RTM and three telecommunications partners: Unifi, CelcomDigi Berhad and U Mobile.
Fahmi said the goal of the partnership is to expand public access to top-tier sporting content while strengthening the role of public broadcasting in delivering quality programming at no additional cost to viewers. Unifi TV will air every one of the 104 matches live. RTM will broadcast the majority either live or on delayed telecast, depending on the official schedule, and the matches will also be available free-to-air through MyTV and via streaming on RTM Klik and Unifi TV.
The most striking element of the announcement is who is not in the room. Astro, the dominant satellite pay-TV operator in Malaysia, and Maxis, one of the country's largest mobile operators, were both left out of the consortium. Both companies command strong coverage in urban areas, and Astro in particular has historically been the default home of premium live football in the country. Their absence signals a deliberate pivot toward a public-broadcaster and free-to-air centred model for the 2026 cycle.
RTM director-general Ashwad Ismail said corporate sponsorship participation from the three telco partners had enabled the government to minimise public expenditure on securing the broadcast rights for the tournament. The framing matches the wider pattern across Asia this cycle, where federations and public broadcasters have leaned harder on telco-led sponsorship structures to keep rights costs off the public ledger.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada. The opening match is scheduled for Estadio Azteca in Mexico City on June 11, 2026. The final will be played at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey on July 19, 2026. For Malaysian viewers the practical result of the RTM and Unifi deal is that every match of the first 48-team World Cup will be watchable without an Astro subscription.