'Financially Strained' JTBC Denies Rumors of World Cup Broadcast Suspension: "We Will Broadcast Through the Final Without Disruption" [Official]

[Sportschosun Lee Gae-eun] JTBC has responded to concerns that it may stop broadcasting the FIFA World Cup.

On the 24th, JTBC said, "JTBC will broadcast all matches through the final of the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup without disruption," adding, "We plan to deliver vivid coverage from the World Cup site all the way through the South Korea national football team’s matches and the final stage of the tournament, so we ask viewers not to be misled by false information."

Earlier, Tokyo Broadcasting System Television reported that JTBC had failed to pay part of its broadcast rights fees to Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) by the deadline. The outlet cited JTBC's financial difficulties and trouble selling broadcast rights to the three major terrestrial broadcasters, and also said that broadcasting the tournament after the round of 32, which begins on the 29th, could become impossible.

Domestic viewers expressed strong concern, and JTBC issued a direct statement to make clear that there would be no problem with broadcasting every match of the World Cup.

joyjoy90@sportschosun.com