Myanmar social media users are calling on football fans to boycott Mytel’s TV360 platform after FIFA awarded the military-linked telecom exclusive broadcasting rights for the 2026 World Cup, which kicked off on 11 June.
FIFA selected TV360 — Mytel’s digital streaming platform — as Myanmar’s official broadcaster on 25 May, following an open bidding process that began in September 2025. Mytel showcased its broadcast plans at a launch event in Yangon shortly after.
On Facebook, posts urging a boycott have spread widely. “There are plenty of other ways to watch — avoid Mytel, because the money goes to the military,” one user writes. Others share free international stream links and VPN guides as alternatives, while some say they will not watch at all. Rights group Justice for Myanmar condemned the FIFA deal, calling Mytel a major revenue source for the junta.
Not all voices oppose watching, however. Some users argue fans can follow the tournament through other platforms without contributing to Mytel.
Mytel is a joint venture between Myanmar’s military conglomerate Myanmar Economic Corporation and Viettel, controlled by Vietnam’s Ministry of National Defence, which holds a 49 percent stake. Mytel has faced a sustained public boycott since the 2021 coup, with activists long urging consumers to avoid the operator to cut off revenue flowing to the military.
