UAE urges businesses to secure licences before screening FIFA World Cup matches

Dubai: The UAE Ministry of Economy and Tourism has urged businesses planning to screen FIFA World Cup 2026 matches to obtain the necessary licences from official broadcast rights holders and use only authorised broadcasting channels and equipment, as football fever builds ahead of the tournament's decisive knockout stages.

In posts published on its digital platforms, the ministry stressed that restaurants, cafés, hotels and other establishments wishing to screen FIFA World Cup 2026 matches must obtain prior authorisation from the relevant broadcast rights holders to comply with intellectual property laws and avoid legal violations.

The ministry said establishments must first contact the official broadcast rights holder, obtain a licence to screen the matches, use only licensed broadcasting systems and equipment, and keep the licence on site so it can be presented upon request.

It stressed that these measures are designed to safeguard intellectual property rights while ensuring that businesses can legally offer customers the opportunity to watch the world's biggest football tournament.