The 2018 World Cup in Russia presents a unique opportunity to visit the largest country on earth while it is in a celebratory mood, hosting the biggest sporting event on the planet. The 2018 FIFA World Cup is happening right now in Russia. The Russian cities and towns where the matches of FIFA World Cup 2018 will take place are St. Petersburg, Moscow, Kazan, Sochi, Nizhniy Novgorod, Ekaterinburg, Kaliningrad, Volgograd, Samara, Rostov-On-Don, Saransk.
This is definitely the biggest sporting event of the year that should not to be missed! Malaysians, don't panic if you cannot be in Russia. We have made a list of free-to-air channels and the paid channels in Malaysia to watch the FIFA World Cup. There are two types of broadcasting rights for the tournament – Free-To-Air rights or FTA and Pay TV. Astro, as the official broadcaster, is taking it to the next level, bringing World Cup experience on all screens and in VR.
Picture Credit: Wikipedia
FTA rights are given to TV networks, such as RTM. Malaysians can watch the 2018 FIFA World Cup for free on Malaysia RTM Mobile App – RTM Mobile App Fixtures, Schedule, Matches And Timing.
RTM will broadcast 41 out of 64 matches for free. 27 matches will be shown live while 14 matches will be delayed. If you’re not near a TV, you can also watch the World Cup live on your smartphone without any paid subscription.
Here’s all you need to do. Head over to Google Play or the App Store and download the free RTM Mobile app. Once the download is complete, fire up the app and click on TV2. The stream quality is not bad and it can go up to HD 720p resolution. No registration is required and you can tune in to TV1 or TV2 immediately to start watching.
Picture Credit: Wikipedia
Pay TV operator Astro, meanwhile, has obtained the full broadcasting rights from football governing body FIFA, allowing it to air all 64 matches live.
It is also offering the broadcast both in standard and high definition resolutions, and there’s even a standalone app that lets you watch the matches in virtual reality with the Stadium Astro VR app – the first time Astro has done so for the World Cup. Astro customers who are already subscribed to the Sports Pack, SuperPack, or SuperPack Plus packages will automatically get access to the dedicated World Cup 2018 channels for free.
Other Astro subscribers and NJOI prepaid customers can purchase the World Cup Channel Pass for RM100.
Finally, non-Astro customers can purchase this pass for RM120, and can watch the matches via Astro GO, which can be accessed via its website and its Android and iOS apps. On top of that, Astro provides accurate real-time match team stats and results directly from FIFA
If you are a Maxis or Hotlink subscriber, it makes perfect sense to purchase these passes compared to buying a World Cup Channel Pass from Astro, which costs RM100 for non-Sports Pack customers and RM120 for non-Astro subscribers.
Astro's World Cup Channel Pass offers 24-hour access to its dedicated World Cup 2018 channels, which airs highlights and other exclusive content in between matches.
| World Cup Channel Pass | RM100 (Astro) RM120 (Non-Astro) |
Enjoy all 64 LIVE matches on Astro GO via two dedicated FIFA World Cup channels. |
| Knockout Stage Pass | RM30 | Watch all matches in the Round of 16, Quarter Finals, Semi Finals, 3rd Place Match and Finals |
| Group Pass | RM24 | Gain access to LIVE matches of one selected Group |
| Match Pass | RM6 | Pass to watch one LIVE match |
If the idea of sitting in your living room hearing yourself cheer does not sound like much fun, check out mamak shops or even your favorite restaurant may be showing the World Cup matches on TV (sometimes on the big screen!) for football fans.
Different football fans have different ways of enjoying the beautiful game. With the many options available, and thanks to the generous contribution of sponsors, all Malaysians will be able to enjoy World Cup 2018.
