Piala ASEAN FIFA: RTM siar aksi Harimau Malaya secara percuma

KUALA LUMPUR, 25 SEPTEMBER 2026 —

Kuala Lumpur, 24 September – The Communications Ministry, through Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM), has confirmed that it will broadcast selected matches involving the national football team, Harimau Malaya, for free during the 2026 ASEAN FIFA Cup.

This initiative is framed by government officials as a direct response to high public demand for national team coverage. Datuk Ashwad Ismail, the Director-General of Broadcasting, stated that the move reflects the commitment of the government, specifically Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and Communications Minister Datuk Seri Fahmi Fadzil, to meet the expectations of citizens who wish to support the national squad.

Ismail emphasized that the primary driver for the free-to-air strategy was the intense interest and strong support from Malaysian viewers for Harimau Malaya.

Addressing financial concerns, Ismail explicitly denied allegations that the cost of broadcasting rights had reached tens of millions of ringgit. He asserted that the actual expenditure was lower than these claims suggested. The reduction in costs was achieved because RTM focused its negotiations solely on acquiring the official broadcasting rights for matches involving the Malaysian national team, rather than purchasing rights for the entire tournament.

Ismail acknowledged that the general challenge of acquiring rights for international sports events is currently high, but he maintained that the specific claims of excessive spending were unfounded. He noted that through strategic negotiations and cooperation with various parties, RTM successfully secured the official broadcast rights for Harimau Malaya’s matches to serve local fans.

RTM has been officially listed as the broadcaster for the 2026 ASEAN FIFA Cup in Malaysia, according to a post by the tournament’s official Facebook page. The broadcasting landscape for the regional event includes SBS in Australia, Emtek in Indonesia, T Sports and Toffee in Bangladesh, Unitel and Lao TV in Laos, ViuTV in Hong Kong, and Tapmad in Pakistan. Global broadcasting rights are held by FIFA and DAZN.

As of the announcement, Thailand and Vietnam had not yet officially announced their respective broadcasters for the tournament.

The coverage will commence with the national team’s match against Bangladesh, scheduled to take place tomorrow at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta. Following this opening fixture, Malaysia will face Indonesia at the same venue on 28 September. The group stage for the national team will conclude with a match against Singapore on 1 October at the Si Jalak Harupat Stadium in Bandung.

These fixtures represent the initial phase of the national team’s campaign in the tournament.

The 2026 ASEAN FIFA Cup marks the inaugural edition of the competition, which will run from 24 September to 5 October. The tournament features 14 participating teams, comprising all 11 ASEAN member states and three invited teams: Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Hong Kong. The competition structure is divided into two divisions. Malaysia is placed in Group A of Division 1, alongside Indonesia, Singapore, and Bangladesh.

This grouping determines the immediate competitive path for the national team in the early stages of the tournament.

The decision to broadcast these specific matches for free aligns with the government’s broader objective of enhancing public engagement with national sports. By limiting the scope of the rights acquisition to national team matches, RTM managed to balance the high costs associated with international sports broadcasting with the need to provide free access to the public.

The strategic partnership mentioned by Ismail highlights a collaborative approach to securing these rights, distinguishing this arrangement from the broader, more expensive global broadcasting deals typically associated with major international tournaments.

The upcoming schedule places immediate focus on the matches in Jakarta and Bandung, which will serve as the first tests for Harimau Malaya in the new tournament format. The availability of these matches on RTM’s platforms ensures that the domestic audience can follow the team’s progress without subscription barriers.

The inclusion of invited teams such as Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Hong Kong adds a layer of competitive diversity to the ASEAN-centric event, with Malaysia’s group containing a mix of regional rivals and an invited team. The tournament’s structure, with its two divisions, sets the stage for a competitive environment where placement in Division 1 Group A will be for the national team’s advancement.

Related: Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) · Communications Ministry · Datuk Ashwad Ismail · Kuala Lumpur