JTBC Fails to Reach Deal With MBC, SBS... Only KBS to Co-Broadcast World Cup

Disagreement Over Broadcasting Rights Fee: “Paying More Than 12 Billion Won Is Difficult”
Controversy Continues After the Olympics... Negotiations Planned for the 2030 Tournament

Yonhap News

Negotiations over the resale of exclusive broadcasting rights for the 2026 North and Central America World Cup between JTBC, which holds the sole rights, and MBC and SBS have collapsed.

On April 22, JTBC announced, "We proposed the same terms to all three terrestrial broadcasters and received responses by yesterday. As a result, only KBS has agreed to co-broadcast."

The breakdown in negotiations was due to the broadcasting rights fee. JTBC and KBS reportedly reached an agreement at 14 billion won. MBC and SBS maintained their position that it would be difficult to pay more than 12 billion won and ultimately decided not to purchase the rights.

JTBC had acquired the exclusive broadcasting rights for both the Summer and Winter Olympics from 2026 to 2032, as well as the World Cup from 2025 to 2030, and attempted to resell them to the three terrestrial broadcasters. The Milan Cortina d'Ampezzo Winter Olympics in February was broadcast exclusively by JTBC due to failed negotiations. At that time, critics from civil society and elsewhere argued that the public's universal right to view was being undermined.

JTBC stated, "We feel responsible for heightened concerns caused by the prolonged negotiations over the World Cup broadcasting rights, following the exclusive coverage of the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics," adding, "We will prepare thoroughly to deliver a robust broadcast."

The North and Central America World Cup, opening on June 11 (local time), will be co-hosted by Canada, the United States, and Mexico. For the first time in history, 104 matches will be played.

JTBC and the three terrestrial broadcasters are also expected to enter negotiations over broadcasting rights for the Summer and Winter Olympics until 2032 and the 2030 World Cup.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.