In an exclusive interview with Kaohoon on June 12, 2026, Dr. Soraj Asavaprapha, CEO of Jasmine International Public Company Limited (SET: JAS), revealed the strategic blueprint behind the company’s successful acquisition of the broadcasting rights for both the 2026 and 2030 FIFA World Cups.
Dr. Soraj noted that JAS initiated direct negotiations with FIFA after the Thai government decided to step back from the bidding process due to the high acquisition cost. While the rights were originally offered at a steep $40 million for just a single tournament (the FIFA World Cup 2026), JAS successfully negotiated a comprehensive package. The company secured the broadcasting rights for both the 2026 and 2030 World Cups—along with other FIFA-governed sports tournaments—for a total of $70 million.
To deliver the content, JAS will partner with Mono Next Public Company Limited (SET: MONO), leveraging its Monomax Sport platform and the MONO29 channel to broadcast the matches in Thailand. The ultimate goal of this partnership is to elevate MONO into Thailand’s premier sports broadcasting powerhouse.
Addressing availability for non-subscribers, Dr. Soraj stated that nearly half of the 2026 tournament matches will be broadcast free to the public. This free-to-air coverage will include the final rounds as well as the highly anticipated show featuring Lisa of Blackpink. The CEO emphasized that this broad exposure is a deliberate strategy to deeply embed the brand into the hearts of sports fans.
The broadcast rights acquired by JAS covered 16 major FIFA events, such as all 104 matches of the FIFA World Cup 2026 with comprehensive multi-platform rights, the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027, FIFA Futsal World Cup 2028, various FIFA youth tournaments for both male and female categories, as well as the FIFA World Cup 2030.
Financially, the $70 million rights fee will be paid in installments leading up to 2030. Dr. Soraj expressed strong confidence in the company’s internal liquidity, reaffirming that JAS does not require institutional financing for this venture. However, he noted that given current global geopolitical uncertainties, the company might consider building a financial cushion through a public offering or the issuance of debentures.
Looking ahead, Dr. Soraj revealed that JAS is eyeing an expansion into the wider regional market, positioning its subsidiary, Jasmine International (Hong Kong) Limited, as the central hub for this growth. The company is currently in discussions with auditors to evaluate spinning off this entity for a public listing on the Hong Kong IPO market.
Closer to home, a formal merger with MONO remains a distinct possibility, a topic that Dr. Soraj confirmed has been discussed previously. However, the CEO indicated that MONO must first reshape its financial structure to ensure its valuation is sufficiently attractive to JAS shareholders, whose final approval would be required to clear any future merger.
