The president of the Trinidad and Tobago Copyright Collection Organisation (TTCCO) is calling for greater transparency over the licensing of FIFA World Cup broadcasts in commercial establishments, saying the public debate should be guided by facts, contractual rights and intellectual property law rather than speculation.
TTCCO is one of two copyright bodies operating in Trinidad and Tobago. The other is the Copyright Organisation of Trinidad and Tobago (COTT).
TTCCO president Asten Isaac said publicly available information shows Caribbean Premier Sports Ltd (CPSL), operator of the RUSH Sports Network, secured the exclusive Caribbean media rights for the FIFA World Cup 2026 through an agreement with IRIS Sport Media.
He said FIFA’s Public Viewing Regulations recognise that screenings outside private homes fall into separate categories, including commercial public viewing events, and require licences where applicable.
According to FIFA’s regulations, commercial public viewing includes screenings at bars, restaurants, clubs, cinemas and similar venues where a commercial benefit is derived through admission fees, sponsorship, promotions or other commercial activity.
Isaac said if RUSH Sports appointed COTT to administer commercial public viewing licences, there would be nothing unusual about that arrangement because COTT would simply be acting as the licensing agent rather than the owner of the rights.
However, he said the key question is whether RUSH Sports retained those commercial public viewing rights or whether they were already granted to television providers as part of commercial subscription packages.
“If RUSH Sports retained the commercial public viewing rights under its FIFA licence and did not transfer those rights to television providers for onward licensing to commercial subscribers, then a separate commercial licence could be legally justified,” Isaac said.
“Conversely, if those rights already form part of commercial television subscriptions purchased by businesses, then legitimate questions arise as to whether commercial establishments are being asked to pay twice for substantially the same right.”
Isaac said the issue could only be resolved by making the relevant contractual agreements public, including COTT’s appointment as licensing agent, distribution agreements between RUSH Sports and television providers, and the terms of commercial television subscriptions.
In a joint release, CPSL and COTT said COTT has been appointed as the authorised licensing agent for FIFA World Cup 2026 public viewing in Trinidad and Tobago on behalf of CPSL.
The organisations said businesses may show World Cup matches as part of their normal operations using an authorised RUSH Sports television provider. However, a separate public viewing licence is required only where additional commercial activities are connected to the screening, including charging admission, sponsorship, promotions or other commercial activations.
CPSL chief executive officer Michael Look Tong said, “Any business may show the FIFA World Cup 2026 as part of their normal operations using an authorised RUSH Sports service provider. A licence is required where additional commercial activities, such as admission fees, sponsorship or commercial activations, are connected to the screening.”
COTT also reminded businesses that the use of unauthorised IPTV services or illegal streaming platforms would constitute copyright infringement.
