MultiChoice secures AFCON rights after potential blackout 

MultiChoice has secured Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) rights, with the South African service SuperSport to show all 52 matches, after previously failing to reach an agreement with rights-holder New World TV which would have lead to an AFCON blackout on the channel. 

Source: SuperSport

The African pay TV giant announced last week SuperSport will not broadcast AFCON 2023 after not acquiring rights to the tournament but said it remained committed to ensuring viewers had access to football games.

As part of a newly reached deal with the Pan-African broadcaster, MultiChoice’s SuperSport will broadcast the 34th edition of Africa’s premier men’s football competition taking place in Ivory Coast.

Matches will also be available on channels DStv and GOtv across Africa.

The tournament will take place on January 13 until February 11, featuring footballers from the Premier League, Bundesliga and Serie A.

Among the line-up of players set to feature in the competition are Egypt’s Mohamed Salah, Cameroon’s Andre Onana, Ghana’s Mohammed Kudus, Nigeria’s Victor Osimhen, Guinea’s Serhou Guirassy, as well as Senegal’s Pape Sarr, Nicolas Jackson and Sadio Mane.

Rendani Ramovha, SuperSport CEO, said: “We are delighted to be able to showcase the best of African football live to our viewers.”

Nimonka Kolani, Managing Director of NWTV, added: “By securing the rights to CAN 2023 under the leadership of Dr Patrice Motsepe, SuperSport and NWTV prove that nothing is more important than the happiness of Africans who wish to follow the exploits of their favourite team during the biggest football competition in Africa.”

Elsewhere, the commercial broadcaster Sky Sports recently acquired the rights to AFCON 2023 games in the UK.