Kenyans Will Watch the 2026 World Cup for Free as Treasury Approves KBC Broadcasting Deal, Mbadi Says

Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi confirmed that the government has approved funding to let Kenya National Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) air the 2026 FIFA World Cup on free-to-air television.

Mbadi made the announcement on June 4, when Gor Mahia FC visited his Treasury office in Nairobi to present the FKF Premier League trophy. He told Kenyans they will get a chance to watch the tournament.

Mbadi said he contacted KBC Managing Director Kaleche, who is now finalizing arrangements to complete the deal.

“World Cup is coming in a couple of days, and we are looking forward to this football extravaganza. I know we had some challenges in sponsoring KBC to air it, but we have unlocked that,” Mbadi said.

Mbadi added that the national government already approved the funding required to secure the free-to-air rights, which he described as the biggest barrier to Kenyans’ access to the games.

“This morning, I actually spoke to Kaleche, who is the MD, and there is something she is working on. We have already approved funding from the national government to support the airing.”

The decision will bring relief to millions of Kenyan football fans, many of whom had watched the deadline pass without a clear guarantee that they could follow the tournament from home.

KBC faced a tough situation after it estimated it would need about Ksh150 million to secure the broadcast rights for 104 matches across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

The 2026 World Cup, the biggest tournament in FIFA’s history, will involve 48 teams. That scale pushed the cost of the rights higher than in previous editions, leaving the public broadcaster’s budget stretched.

Meanwhile, delays in government payments slowed talks with FIFA. As a result, KBC stayed in limbo even as the June 11 kick-off date drew nearer without a confirmed agreement.

The impasse raised concerns in the country, prompting the National Assembly’s Committee on Communications, Information, and Innovation to engage KBC to address the budget shortfall during tense discussions.

Globally, broadcasters value the rights to the 2026 FIFA World Cup at around Ksh500 million (USD3.9 billion), though the fees vary widely based on a country’s market size and population.

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