2026 direct Fifa deal exposes inflated 2022 World Cup broadcasting costs: Minister 

The government has recovered almost the entire cost of securing Bangladesh's broadcast rights for the 2026 World Cup after buying the rights directly from Fifa and sub-licensing them to local broadcasters, Information and Broadcasting Minister Zahir Uddin Swapon said today (19 July).

Speaking at a press conference at the Department of Information, he noted that this year's direct deal exposes 2022's inflated World Cup broadcasting costs.

This year, the government spent $3.85 million to acquire the media rights directly from Fifa, the minister said.

It later recovered most of that amount by issuing sub-licences to four local companies, he said, adding that the remaining shortfall stands at only Tk4-5 crore. Revenue-sharing arrangements may cover the balance, he noted.

Swapon contrasted the current arrangement with the 2022 Fifa World Cup broadcast deal, alleging that the erstwhile government relied on intermediaries, which significantly increased the cost to the state.

According to the minister, a Singapore-based company bought the 2022 broadcasting rights from Fifa before Bangladeshi firm Toma Construction acquired them and sold them to Bangladesh Television (BTV) for Tk98 crore. 

He said satellite broadcasting rights changed hands for Tk22 crore, while digital rights sold for Tk17 crore, taking the total value of the transactions to around Tk140 crore.

Swapon said Fifa received only $3.2 million from that arrangement, while intermediaries retained the remaining money.
 
He alleged that the previous government spent Tk98 crore in public funds to buy the rights and described the deal as an example of corruption carried out under the guise of broadcasting the World Cup.

A comparison between the 2022 and 2026 broadcasting costs shows how the previous system benefited intermediaries, while the current government reduced costs by negotiating directly with Fifa, he stated.

Swapon said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman had instructed the government to ensure that people could watch the World Cup without placing an unnecessary financial burden on the state. 

He said the government followed that instruction by negotiating directly with Fifa for the broadcasting rights.

The minister credited BTV, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) and sports journalists for helping complete the process. 

He said the government also plans to strengthen the technical capacity of future World Cup broadcasts while making them more financially sustainable. Swapon said BTV suspended its regular programming during the tournament to air the matches. 

He argued that if the value of that airtime formed part of the financial calculation, the project would effectively become profitable. 

He also praised BTV's engineers and technical staff for delivering the broadcasts successfully and said they demonstrated the broadcaster's technical capability.

Asked about alleged irregularities in the 2022 World Cup broadcasting deal, Swapon said the legal process is continuing and that the government will cooperate with any investigation.

Swapon later said the ministry is conducting a departmental investigation, adding that the ministry or BTV will contact the Anti-Corruption Commission if necessary, after the inquiry concludes.

Responding to a question about bringing the Brazil and Argentina national football teams to Bangladesh for a friendly match, the minister described the proposal as positive and said the government will discuss its feasibility with the BFF.

On sports development, Swapon said the government aims to professionalise the sector by identifying talented athletes from an early age and bringing them under state sponsorship. He said the government also plans to introduce a Sports Card and expand recognition for outstanding athletes.

BTV Director General Md Mahbubul Alam said the state broadcaster has never before aired a Fifa World Cup at such a low cost. 

He said some revenue-sharing matters remain unresolved but expressed confidence that authorities will eliminate the remaining deficit.

Additional Secretary Shah Alam, who serves as acting secretary of the information ministry, said several hacking attempts targeted the broadcasts during the tournament. 

He said engineers from BTV and the relevant organisations blocked those attempts and ensured that only authorised rights holders could transmit the matches.