Taiwan criticises China's 'irrelevant' World Cup viewing offer

Updated 18 Jun, 2026 03:59pm 2 min read

Taiwan’s government has criticised an “irrelevant” offer by China for Taiwanese fans to use Chinese websites or even visit the country to watch ​the World Cup, saying it is easily accessible at home.

On Wednesday, China’s Taiwan Affairs ​Office, responding to a question from state media about an ⁠unnamed Taiwanese entertainer complaining they could not find World Cup broadcasts in ​Taiwan, said China has the right to show all the matches.

“We welcome compatriots on the ​island to use mainland Chinese websites, apps, and other platforms to watch live broadcasts of the matches, or to come to the mainland to watch the games,” spokesperson Chen Binhua ​told a news conference.

That evening, Taiwan’s China-policymaking Mainland Affairs Council said it ​was quite untrue that Taiwanese couldn’t watch the matches, pointing to domestic media companies that ‌have ⁠the rights and are showing the World Cup.

Taiwanese fans thus have no need to use Chinese websites or apps, it said in a statement.

“The Taiwan Affairs Office even feels the need to comment on World Cup broadcasts — it ​cares about too ​many irrelevant matters,” ⁠the council added.

Neither Taiwan nor China qualified for the World Cup.

Taiwan’s government has been rooting ​for ⁠Paraguay and Haiti, two of the 12 remaining countries to maintain formal diplomatic ties with Taipei.

Taiwan Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung posted a video on social media this ⁠week ​waving the flags of both countries.

“I’m very happy ​to see Taiwan’s allies, Paraguay and Haiti, take the stage at football’s globally watched grand arena,” ​Lin wrote on his Facebook page.

Read Comments