World Cup Broadcast Becomes Controversial: China's Taiwan Affairs Office Suggests Using Mainland Networks, Faces Piracy Criticism

The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be held from June 11 to July 19, jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada, featuring 104 matches with 48 teams competing for the 'FIFA World Cup Trophy.' In Taiwan, ELTA TV has secured broadcasting rights for the fourth consecutive tournament, streaming all matches via its OTT platform ELTA.tv, Chunghwa Telecom MOD, and Hami Video's sports channel. Selected games will also be broadcast on cable TV's EBC and terrestrial broadcaster TTV.

Actor Li Li-chun recently expressed frustration on social media, stating, 'The World Cup has started, but we can't watch it here in Taiwan,' and criticizing local sports channels for focusing only on baseball or NBA basketball. His remarks became a trending topic on Chinese social media.

On the 17th, Chen Bin-hua, spokesperson for China's Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO), claimed, 'We welcome our compatriots in Taiwan to use mainland networks and apps to watch live broadcasts, or come to China to watch the games.' In response, Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) stated that Taiwanese fans do not need to use mainland networks or apps to watch the matches, calling TAO's comment 'unnecessary interference.'

Shih Ming-chin, chairman of the Taiwan Football Development Association and football commentator, posted on Facebook that watching broadcasts from other regions in non-authorized areas constitutes copyright infringement, stating, 'Otherwise, there would be no need to sell broadcasting rights separately by region.'

ELTA TV has been promoting legal viewing channels through social media and advocating for proper public broadcasting rights, providing a map of authorized public viewing venues for fans.

Broadcasting rights for international sporting events typically involve substantial fees. Domestic broadcasters must evaluate both financial capacity and viewership benefits before deciding whether to bid. When traditional broadcasters do not secure rights, the question of where the public can 'freely' watch sports events often becomes a heated topic.

During the 2014 World Cup, Eon News TV faced a copyright dispute, leading ELTA to terminate signal transmission. An emergency coordination with other broadcasters followed, causing significant controversy. In 2018, the Taiwan Cable Broadband Industry Association criticized ELTA for monopolizing the bid, claiming it deprived viewers of the basic right to freely access major international events. ELTA responded that platform operators should obtain broadcasting rights through commercial agreements. After the 2024 Paris Olympics, the Cable Broadband Industry Association, Satellite Broadcasting Association, CTS, TTV, and FTV jointly urged the government and all sectors to ensure widespread broadcasting of major international sports events across all platforms. (Edited by Lin Ting-chun) 1151618