BANGKOK, Thailand – A prominent Myanmar human rights advocacy organization is calling on global soccer governing body FIFA to scrap a controversial decision that awarded exclusive 2026 FIFA World Cup broadcast rights in Myanmar to a US-sanctioned telecommunication firm directly tied to the country’s military junta, which seized power in a 2021 coup.
Justice For Myanmar confirmed to the Associated Press on Friday that the group only became aware of FIFA’s deal this week, after Mytel – the state-linked telecom at the center of the dispute – rolled out a local advertising blitz promoting its World Cup streaming and broadcast coverage.
As one of Myanmar’s four major cellular service providers, Mytel operates as a joint venture between the Myanmar military and Viettel, a Vietnamese telecom firm controlled by Vietnam’s national military. Founded in 2018, the company generates consistent revenue that flows directly to Myanmar’s ruling junta, making it a top target for anti-coup activists and the subject of a widespread ongoing consumer boycott across the country.
Myanmar has been locked in a devastating civil conflict since the military ousted the democratically elected government led by Aung San Suu Kyi five years ago. Junta forces are now battling a broad coalition of long-running ethnic minority militias and newly formed pro-democracy armed groups that oppose military rule.
“FIFA should immediately revoke Mytel’s media rights, uphold human rights and stop undermining sanctions,” said Yadanar Maung, spokesperson for Justice For Myanmar.
“This is an insult to the many people of Myanmar who have given their lives resisting a brutal and illegal junta, who have been boycotting Mytel, and a slap in the face to Myanmar football fans,” Maung added. “FIFA needs to right this now.”
As of press time, Mytel has not responded to multiple requests for comment, including phone calls, voicemail messages, and emailed inquiries. FIFA also has not issued an immediate response to requests for comment on the controversy.
FIFA opened a public tender for Myanmar World Cup media rights in September 2025, and ultimately selected Mytel as its exclusive rights holder for the country. Last year, the U.S. Department of Commerce added Mytel to its roster of sanctioned Myanmar entities, citing that the firm’s “actions and activities that are contrary to the national security and foreign policy interests of the United States.”
At the time of the sanction designation, the Commerce Department noted Mytel was added for “providing surveillance services and financial support to Burma’s military regime, enabling the regime to carry out human rights abuses through the tracking and identification of target individuals and groups.” The U.S. and other global bodies have also imposed separate sanctions on the Myanmar Economic Corporation, the military-owned parent firm of Mytel.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is currently hosted across Canada, Mexico, and the United States, with group stage and knockout matches running through mid-July. While Myanmar did not qualify for the 2026 tournament, soccer holds the title of the most popular sport in the country, and marquee events like the World Cup – as well as top European club competitions – draw massive television and online viewership. Top international sides including Brazil, England, Argentina, Portugal, and Germany count huge bases of passionate fans among Myanmar’s soccer community.