Sri Lankan football followers to double at World Cup

English, Sinhala and Tamil television organisation 

wins broadcast rights for 104 matches

'Three of the world’s best players who could feature in their last World Cup, Lionel Messi (Argentina), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) and Harry Kane (England)

By Susil Premalal

Maharajah Media Network has secured the licensed broadcasting rights for Sri Lanka to telecast the FIFA World Cup 2026, from the opening match between Mexico and South Africa on June 12 through to the final scheduled for July 19.

Accordingly, the official Sri Lankan broadcasting rights for all 104 matches—from the Group Stage to the Knockout Stage Final of the FIFA World Cup 2026, which will be hosted across the United States, Canada and Mexico—have been awarded to TV1, Sirasa TV and Shakthi TV, the Maharajah Media Network announced at a launch at the Football House in Colombo on Monday.

This marks the first occasion that Maharajah Media Network has acquired the official Sri Lankan broadcasting rights for a FIFA World Cup tournament. 

Since 2018, the network has secured broadcasting rights for numerous major international sporting events, including world and Asian championship-level cricket, rugby, women’s cricket and T20 cricket tournaments.

A total of 48 countries have qualified for the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group Stage.

At a media briefing held at Football House with the patronage of Director of the Capital Maharaja Group, Chevaan Daniel and President of the Football Federation of Sri Lanka (FFSL), Jaswar Umar, the significance of bringing the World Cup to Sri Lankan audiences coincides with the unprecedented anticipation of what is considered the best single sporting showpiece on the world stage.

Daniel noted that making the tournament accessible free of charge across all regions and social groups would help bridge gaps and unite audiences nationwide. 

He stressed that Sri Lanka’s rich culture taking into account history, music, sports, and natural beauty are powerful assets that can be shared globally through such platforms.

The network plans to broadcast all 104 matches from June 12 to July 19, ensuring comprehensive coverage across every stage of the competition.

The World Cup is expected to generate a major increase in football viewership across Sri Lanka according to Umar.

“With over 4000 clubs, around 100,000 players and more than two million daily viewers, football is already deeply rooted in Sri Lanka. 

“This World Cup could take that number to four million as fans eagerly wait to watch global icons Messi and Ronaldo possibly in their final World Cup appearances,” Umar said.

According to FIFA, the world governing body of football, six billion people are likely to watch the World Cup live on television screens.