The World Cup has returned, and Malaysia is no exception in experiencing the excitement of the biggest football tournament on the planet.

The tournament, hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada, arrived amid controversy even before the first ball was kicked. However, much of that discussion quickly faded once the opening match between Mexico and South Africa got underway.

While attention has now shifted to predicting the eventual champions and identifying which underdog nation might cause an upset, various issues have also been raised by those watching the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Malaysia.

For the 2026 edition, the official broadcaster in Malaysia is no longer Astro. Instead, that long-standing tradition has been broken, with Unifi TV and Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) securing the broadcasting rights.

What caught the attention of many Malaysians was RTM’s announcement that it would broadcast all 104 matches live through its television channels as well as its streaming platform, RTMKlik.

Naturally, this attracted millions of Malaysians to the platform to enjoy the tournament free of charge. However, with such a large audience comes a wide range of opinions.

Since the opening match, RTM has faced criticism regarding its World Cup coverage. While constructive criticism should always be welcomed as a means of improvement, some of the complaints directed at RTM appear to be unnecessary and lacking in merit.

One example is the criticism surrounding the use of Bahasa Malaysia during the pre-match programmes. Some viewers argued that it felt unusual because they had become accustomed to English-language coverage during Astro’s tenure as the broadcaster.

There were also complaints about RTM displaying broadcast information and graphics on-screen during matches, with some viewers claiming that these elements were distracting and affected their viewing experience.

In the writer’s view, these criticisms are relatively minor and suggest that a segment of Malaysian football fans has developed exceptionally high expectations when it comes to football broadcasts. It is important to remember that RTM is Malaysia’s national public broadcaster. As such, it is entirely appropriate for its pre-match programmes to be conducted in Bahasa Malaysia, the country’s national language.

At the same time, it is common practice around the world for pre-match programmes to be presented in a country’s national language. Astro itself had gradually adopted a similar approach in previous editions through its production team at Astro Arena.

Astro Arena has also featured local commentators providing match analysis and commentary in Bahasa Malaysia for selected matches. At the time, there were no widespread complaints about the coverage sounding awkward, the language being limited, or the vocabulary lacking sophistication. Yet when RTM does the same, it suddenly becomes a point of contention.

As for the logos and on-screen broadcast information, RTM implements these measures primarily to protect its rights as the official broadcaster. In an era where illegal streaming is widespread, such watermarks are necessary to safeguard its broadcasting rights.

There are certainly other aspects that deserve criticism, such as the decline in streaming quality when too many users access RTMKlik simultaneously during matches, or inaccuracies regarding which matches are being shown live and which are delayed, causing confusion among viewers. These are legitimate issues that RTM should address and improve.

It is true that Astro’s coverage of major tournaments such as the World Cup has always been regarded as being in a class of its own, and Malaysians have become accustomed to that standard over the years. As a result, any noticeable difference in quality from RTM’s coverage naturally generates reactions.

There is no denying that RTM still has room for improvement in enhancing the World Cup viewing experience on its platforms. Its coverage is not perfect, and that is something we must acknowledge. However, we should not dismiss the effort being made to deliver the best possible service while ensuring that taxpayers’ money is put to good use.

The coverage may still be a work in progress, but while it is here, enjoy it. After all, the World Cup only comes around once every four years.