Yes, the deal is done. CCTV paid $60 million for full media rights — CCTV-5, Yangshipin, and Migu Video carry all 104 matches. The catch is timezone: nearly every kickoff lands between midnight and 9 AM Beijing time. Here’s everything you need to plan your viewing.
Where to Watch: CCTV’s $60M Deal
After months of tough negotiations, CCTV and FIFA officially reached an agreement on May 15, 2026:
- Price: $60 million (approximately ¥430 million RMB)
- Rights type: Full media rights (TV + online + mobile)
- Coverage: All 104 matches of the 2026 World Cup
Negotiation recap: FIFA initially asked $250–300 million, CCTV offered far less, and after months of deadlock, the deal was struck at $60 million. For comparison, India secured rights for ~$17.5 million and Hong Kong (Now TV) for ~$25 million.
How to Start Watching
TV
- CCTV-5 — Main channel, all key matches live
- CCTV-5+ — Overflow channel for concurrent matches
Online / Mobile
- Yangshipin — CCTV’s official app, free to watch
- CCTV.com — Web-based live stream
- Migu Video — China Mobile’s sublicensed platform, possibly with 4K feeds
- Douyin — May carry highlights or partial live matches (TBC)
Hong Kong: confirmed broadcaster
Hong Kong’s broadcast deal was sealed in February 2026. PCCW’s Now TV and ViuTV hold exclusive rights:
- Now TV — all 104 matches live in 4K. Event Pass at HK$580 (HK$388 for eligible subscribers)
- ViuTV (Channel 99) — 25 selected matches free-to-air, including the opening match, semifinals, and final
This is Now TV’s third consecutive World Cup as Hong Kong’s exclusive broadcaster (2018, 2022, 2026). Hong Kong shares the UTC+8 timezone with Beijing, so all kickoff times in the chart below apply equally.
When to Watch: Kickoff Times in China
Regardless of the broadcast situation, the time-zone math doesn’t change. Most kickoffs cluster around two brackets:
| Host kickoff (local) | UTC+8 (Beijing) | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| 12:00 PT (LA) / 15:00 ET (NY) | 04:00 next day | Brutal — only for neutrals on a weekend |
| 15:00 PT / 18:00 ET | 07:00 next day | Early riser — breakfast game |
| 18:00 PT / 21:00 ET | 10:00 next day | Best slot — just sleep late |
| 12:00 CT (CDMX) | 03:00 next day | Pass unless it’s your team |
Opening match USA vs Mexico at Estadio Azteca on June 11 (18:00 local) lands at 09:00 Beijing June 12 — a rare family-friendly window.
Must-Watch Matches
If you’ll only set one early alarm the whole tournament, make it:
- Final — July 19, MetLife Stadium, New York. Kickoff 15:00 ET = 03:00 Beijing July 20. Historically the only match worth the pain.
- Semifinals — MetLife & Estadio Azteca, July 14–15.
- Argentina’s group opener if Messi starts.