Filipinos to get 'multi-channel approach' FIFA World Cup access, says media rights distributor
MANILA, Philippines — Filipino football fans will get more than just access to all the 104 games of the 2026 FIFA World Cup beginning in a month's time.
Digital advertising company Aleph was appointed by FIFA as the exclusive partner to lead commercialization and multimedia distribution of this year's World Cup in the Philippines.
This means Aleph — which represents social media platforms like X, Pinterest, Reddit, and TikTok in the Philippines — will be the sole point of access for brands seeking advertising, sponsorship and commercial opportunities across multiple media platforms.
Among the all-encompassing media rollout for Aleph have plans include coverage across television, digital streaming, mobile and video-on-demand.
"Football has officially moved from the sidelines to the center of the Philippine sports conversation," said Aleph Country Head for the Philippines Anna Dy in a statement. "We are seeing a fundamental shift in fan culture, where digital content creation has become a primary way for fans to live and share the sport in real-time."
During a media conference last May 12 in Taguig, Aleph's SVP of Global Partnerships Amaia Navas acknowledged that "Filipinos deserve access" to this "totally different" World Cup.
She then explained the "multi-channel approach" to be implemented by the Aleph Arena online platforms, where content like games and highlights will be leased in different layers.
Dy, who was also present, added that the distribution strategy is centered and built around Filipinos given their weekly high consumption of social media and videos.
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Aleph Arena will be launched on as many platforms possible including YouTube, Instagram, Tiktok, and X.
Navas said no definite launch date has been set, upon being asked by Philstar.com, given that participating nations will not release squad lists until next wek but assured that pre-tournament content have already been prepared.
The executive also said that Aleph Arena platforms will remain active months after the tournament ends on July 19 (the 20th in the Philippines).
Cayo TV's Enrique Levy, a global expert on sports media, acknowledged the difficulty of watching past World Cup editions live, but digital platforms now allow fans to engage better.
He cited how content by the National Basketball Association is viewed globally, and how fans passionately track an athlete's journey, citing Lionel Messi as an example for how he left FC Barcelona for Paris Saint-Germain FC then later Inter Miami.
General Secretary of the Philippine Football Federation Angelico Mercader then commended the current state of Filipino football as "on the rise and very vibrant."
Mercader expressed hope the Philippines will be a constant contender in Southeast Asia, noting how the women's team are set for a World Cup comeback and the Philippines late last year hosted the first-ever Women's Futsal World Cup.
The latter, Mercader shared, resulted in viewership as much as 38 million and inspired the recent launch of the Philippine Futsal League.
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