Bangladesh Television (BTV) will broadcast the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and the government says it secured the rights without spending public money on the deal.
Information and Broadcasting State Minister Yasser Khan Choudhury made the claim at a press conference at the Secretariat on Tuesday. He said the government recovered almost the entire cost of the broadcasting package through commercial agreements before the tournament begins.
According to the minister, the final contract value for the rights stands at US$3.85 million, equivalent to about Tk 47.25 crore at the current exchange rate. Including VAT and income tax, the total amount rises to roughly Tk 63.79 crore.
Yasser said BTV will not have to bear that cost from the public purse.
“The good news for the people is that BTV will not have to pay this amount. Following government policy, we have already managed to recover almost all of the money through advertisements and by selling rights packages to telecom operators, satellite channels and OTT platforms,” he said.
The minister said the government rejected an earlier proposal that allegedly sought nearly Tk 200 crore for the World Cup rights. Instead, officials opened direct discussions with FIFA and negotiated a separate agreement.
He also credited Bangladesh Football Federation president Tabith Awal for assisting the process. According to the minister, the negotiations involved extensive meetings and discussions before both sides reached a deal.
Yasser also raised questions about the arrangement used for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, when BTV reportedly spent close to Tk 100 crore to secure broadcasting rights. He said many people still seek greater transparency regarding that agreement.
The Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase approved the proposal on Sunday. The government acquired the rights directly from FIFA through the Direct Procurement Method (DPM).
The 2026 FIFA World Cup starts on 11 June and runs until 19 July across the United States, Canada and Mexico.
