Football fans across Africa gearing up for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) were in for a surprise when SuperSport, the South African pay-TV channel, announced that it would not be broadcasting the continent’s premier football event.
Why did Multichoice not secure rights to broadcast 2023 AFCON?
This decision, confirmed by Multichoice, the parent company of SuperSport, has left many wondering why the channel, known for its comprehensive sports coverage, is stepping back from such a significant event.
According to a statement from Multichoice, the channel failed to secure the rights to broadcast the tournament.
“SuperSport Channel will not broadcast the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2023 scheduled for January 13th – February 11th, 2024, because the channel has not secured the rights to broadcast the tournament,” the statement read.
This development comes in the wake of CAF’s decision to award exclusive broadcasting rights for Sub-Saharan Africa to New World TV.
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As reported by Swisher Foot, the Togo-based broadcaster clinched an exclusive three-year deal with CAF, covering all its competitions in Sub-Saharan Africa until 2025.
This marks a historic shift, with an African broadcaster obtaining exclusive AFCON rights for the first time, ending SuperSport’s long-standing monopoly.
Where to watch 2023 AFCON live matches?
For those looking to catch the action, however, all is not lost.
Multichoice assured that the AFCON games would be available through partner broadcast stations on Free-to-Air (FTA) channels. In addition,
The 2023 AFCON, set to be the 34th edition of the competition, is a highly anticipated event for football enthusiasts.
Hosted by Ivory Coast for the second time, the tournament will feature 24 nations divided into six groups of four, competing from 13 January to 11 February 2024.
The competition will kick off with hosts Ivory Coast taking on Guinea-Bissau in the opening match, with the final scheduled at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium in Abidjan.
Defending champions Senegal, who won their first title in 2021, will be looking to retain their crown in a field that includes some of Africa’s top footballing nations like Nigeria, Egypt, Ghana, and Cameroon.
