The broadcasting world, which was buzzing over the 2026 FIFA North & Central America World Cup broadcasting rights, is now officially preparing special programs to make the tournament a hit!
On the 11th, JTBC revealed its special variety lineup ahead of the 2026 FIFA North & Central America World Cup, which kicks off on June 11.
First up, ‘Knowing Bros’ will air a World Cup special on May 23 at 9 PM. Former national team players Ha Seok-ju, Kim Tae-young, and Kim Young-kwang will join the show to discuss the Korean team’s predicted performance and key players to watch.
Then, from May 28 to June 4, ‘Sagi-kun-deul’ will dive into the hidden stories of soccer and sports history under the theme ‘Sports War.’ Bae Sung-jae, who has joined the JTBC World Cup commentary team, will make a special appearance.
Additionally, ‘Please Take Care of My Refrigerator’ will welcome guests Park Hang-seo and Choi Yong-soo to share various World Cup episodes. Meanwhile, on ‘Talkpawon 25시’, Jun Hyun-moo and Yang Se-chan will head straight to the World Cup site to cover the Group A match between South Korea and the Czech Republic.
Regarding this, JTBC stated, “We plan to present various World Cup specials through variety shows that have been consistently loved by viewers for years. We hope the passion for cheering on the national team will heat up and we will deliver the 2026 FIFA North & Central America World Cup even more closely.”
After a long tug-of-war over the exclusive TV broadcasting rights, KBS, the only terrestrial broadcaster to confirm joint broadcasting, is also starting to heat things up with its own special programs.
Previously, the three major terrestrial broadcasters, including KBS, MBC, and SBS, had been negotiating the resale of the North & Central America World Cup TV rights with JTBC. JTBC, which secured the rights for approximately 125 million USD (190 billion KRW), proposed a plan where the costs (excluding digital resale profits) would be split equally between the JoongAng Group and the three terrestrial broadcasters. In this structure, JTBC would cover 50%, and each terrestrial broadcaster would pay about 16.7%.
However, the gap between the broadcasters and JTBC remained wide. Eventually, JTBC made a final offer for each of the three to purchase the rights for 14 billion KRW. As a result, KBS agreed to the joint broadcast on the 20th of last month. Similar offers were made to MBC and SBS, but those negotiations ultimately fell through.
With the rights battle settled, KBS first aired a live special on KBS 1TV on the 12th titled ‘2026 FIFA North & Central America World Cup D-30 Planning for Victory!’
The special was hosted by Lee Kyung-kyu, who previously left a mark on World Cup cheering culture with ‘Lee Kyung-kyu Goes.’ KBS soccer commentator Lee Young-pyo and announcer Nam Hyun-jong also appeared to wish the Korean national team success. Additionally, HIKIK, LA POEM, Kim Ki-tae, Kim Jang-hoon, and Kim Yeon-ja caught attention by performing cheering songs.
The KBS 2TV variety show ‘The Boss’s Ears Are Donkey Ears’ is also preparing a World Cup special. Lee Kyung-kyu will head to Mexico to support Jun Hyun-moo, who is tasked with the World Cup broadcast for KBS. Fans are excited to see what kind of chemistry Jun Hyun-moo, attempting soccer commentary for the first time, and Lee Kyung-kyu, who has shown a deep passion for soccer through ‘Lee Kyung-kyu Goes,’ will create on-site in Mexico.
Viewers have felt some fatigue even before the opening due to the broadcasting rights battle. There is growing interest in whether these special programs can win back the viewers’ hearts and contribute to the success of the World Cup.
