KUALA LUMPUR – The Malaysian Muslim Restaurant Owners Association (Presma) is hoping Unifi TV will introduce an affordable subscription package for the FIFA World Cup 2026, warning that high prices could create difficulties for mamak restaurant operators nationwide who have long relied on Astro to broadcast football matches.
Speaking to Scoop, Presma president Datuk Mohamed Mosin Abdul Razak said the transition to a new broadcasting platform would be a challenge for many operators, particularly smaller outlets that may need to adjust their existing setup and equipment.
His response came after Communications Minister Datuk Fahmi Fadzil confirmed that Unifi TV, in collaboration with Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM), will broadcast the FIFA World Cup 2026 in Malaysia.
Mosin said most mamak restaurants across the country have used Astro for years, meaning many operators are unfamiliar with Unifi TV’s system and may need to make changes to their existing setup.
“For many years, most of our members have been using Astro to show football matches. So now when there is a sudden change to another platform, of course there will be challenges,” he said.
“We have to see how the mechanism works first. If it works well and the pricing is good, then there should not be a problem for operators to move to Unifi TV.”
However, he cautioned that subscription pricing would be the biggest factor affecting adoption among restaurant owners.
“As long as the price is reasonable, then why not? But if the package is too expensive, then most of our members will not be interested,” he said.
“This is because operators also need to think about equipment, subscriptions and other costs. If the overall cost becomes too high, then it will be difficult for smaller outlets.”
Mosin said Presma hopes Unifi TV will introduce a package that is commercially viable for food and beverage operators, particularly mamak restaurants that traditionally screen football matches for customers late into the night.
“If Unifi can come up with a good package that is cheaper and suitable for businesses like ours, then it will be good for our members and also for the public,” he said.
“But if the price is too high, I think many outlets may decide not to subscribe. In the end, they may only depend on whatever matches are shown on RTM.”
He added that some restaurant operators may also face practical difficulties if they are required to install new systems or equipment to access the broadcasts.
“If operators do not have the right equipment or setup, then customers will not be able to watch the matches properly. So all these things need to be considered carefully,” he said.
Mosin also suggested that if subscription costs end up being too high, there may be a need for intervention to ensure wider accessibility for businesses and the public.
“If the packages are expensive, perhaps there should be some form of assistance or a better mechanism so that more operators can afford it,” he said.
“Otherwise, many outlets may only be able to show partial matches through RTM and not the full World Cup experience that customers usually expect.”
Currently, Unifi TV’s sports package offers access to live sports content, including premium sports channels and integrated streaming platforms.
As of May 2026, the package is priced from RM30 per month under a promotional rate for Unifi Home and UNI5G Postpaid subscribers, with certain ongoing promotions reportedly lowering the monthly fee to as little as RM21 without any contract commitment.
Meanwhile, the standard monthly price for Astro’s sports package is RM99.99 per month. – May 7, 2026