[JoyNews24 Reporter Jung Ji-won] SBS released a statement after talks to secure broadcast rights for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North and Central America collapsed.
On the 22nd, SBS said in an official statement that JTBC had announced in the media that negotiations over the World Cup broadcast-rights fee had broken down, leaving SBS unable to participate in the broadcast.
SBS said it entered negotiations determined to fulfill its public duty as a terrestrial broadcaster and to meet viewers’ expectations, even if that meant accepting some losses. It offered a proposal 20% higher than the original amount and pushed to the end to try to reach an agreement. However, SBS said the rights JTBC proposed repeatedly raised contentious digital-rights issues, and the price would have imposed a serious burden on the company’s financial health and shareholder value—explaining why negotiations ultimately broke down.
SBS emphasized that while serving the public interest is a core responsibility for a terrestrial broadcaster, it must also perform that role as a publicly traded company on a sustainable financial footing.
With the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North and Central America just 50 days away, JTBC negotiated with the three terrestrial broadcasters to resell the rights. JTBC said it offered the same terms to all three networks and, after receiving responses by the 21st, confirmed a joint broadcast with KBS.
As a result, JTBC and KBS will jointly broadcast the 2026 World Cup in North and Central America. SBS and MBC will not carry the tournament.
Below is the full official statement from SBS.
SBS said JTBC’s public declaration that negotiations over the World Cup rights fee had collapsed left SBS unable to participate in the broadcast. SBS— which has aired every World Cup since its founding— called the outcome deeply regrettable.
SBS said it entered negotiations willing to accept some losses to fulfill its public duty as a terrestrial broadcaster and to meet viewers’ expectations. It proposed a 20% increase over the original amount and did its utmost to finalize a deal until the end.
However, SBS said the rights JTBC proposed repeatedly raised contentious issues around digital rights, and the price would have placed a significant strain on the company’s financial soundness and shareholder value.
While a terrestrial broadcaster’s public duty remains an important value, SBS said it could not ignore that, as a listed company, it must carry out that role on a sustainable management foundation.
Going forward, SBS said it will work with partners to develop reasonable, updated systems that reflect a changed era and media environment, balancing public duty with sustainable management for major sports broadcasts such as the World Cup and the Olympics.
