RTM is set to air 41 of the 64 matches for the 2018 World Cup in Russia – of which 27 matches will be telecast live, while the remaining 14 will be a subjected to a delayed telecast.

Communications and Multimedia Minister Gobind Singh Deo announced today that the cabinet has placed an RM40 million ceiling to buy the rights to air the matches.

Gobind said details on how the money was spent would be explained during a special press briefing tomorrow on the country's finances. 

"Altogether, I can say now is the figure cabinet discussed earlier is RM40 million.

"Of course there will be sponsors and so forth, and they will absorb a substantial part of it," he said after chairing a meeting with his ministry's officers this afternoon. 

Nevertheless, Gobind expected the cost to be less than RM40 million.

"I expect it will consume less actually because normally when there is a ceiling, we normally do it by way of direct negotiation and in the negotiation, we try to reduce the amount even further," he said.

He said that the suggestion to air the matches live was first brought up by some MPs, including Muar lawmaker Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman.

"It is an important matter because the 2018 World Cup is an international event and it is good for RTM to air it live.

"I have to discuss it with the cabinet first, after which the Finance Ministry will announce details of the cost," he said.