Canal+ Wins Exclusive European Football Rights in Sub-Saharan Africa Through 2031

2026-08-05 companies

Paris, Tuesday, 4 August 2026.
Canal+ secured exclusive multi-language broadcasting rights for all UEFA men’s club competitions across 40 sub-Saharan African countries from 2027 to 2031, solidifying its sports market turnaround strategy.

A Strategic Expansion in African Broadcasting

On Tuesday, August 4, 2026, France-based media conglomerate Canal+, a subsidiary of Vivendi SE (Euronext Paris: VIV) [GPT], announced it has secured exclusive multi-language broadcasting rights to all UEFA men’s club football competitions across more than 40 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa [1][2][5]. The landmark agreement is set to take effect from mid-2027 and will run through 2031 [1][5], spanning a duration of 4 years. The deal covers the region’s broadcasting rights for Europe’s three premier club tournaments: the UEFA Champions League, the UEFA Europa League, and the UEFA Conference League [1][3].

Unifying French-Language Coverage

This acquisition represents a significant shift for television viewers in French-speaking African nations. Under the new agreement, subscribers in these countries will have their first opportunity to watch the Europa League and the Conference League alongside the flagship Champions League on CANAL+ Sport channels [1][3][4]. Previously, the French-language broadcast offering in the region was primarily limited to select Champions League matches [3]. By securing these comprehensive rights, Canal+ is establishing a highly consistent and unified European football coverage model across its African platforms [3].

Leveraging MultiChoice and SuperSport

For English- and Portuguese-speaking markets in Sub-Saharan Africa, the broadcast rights will remain with SuperSport, a long-standing partner and subsidiary of MultiChoice [3][4]. This arrangement ensures uninterrupted access to live matches for subscribers using SuperSport, DStv, and GOtv platforms [6]. The strategic coordination of these rights comes amid the ongoing integration of MultiChoice into the Canal+ Group, which has significantly expanded the French conglomerate’s footprint across English-, French-, and Portuguese-speaking African markets [3].

Turnaround Strategy and Premium Sports Portfolio

Securing high-profile sports rights is a foundational element in Canal+’s plan to turn around MultiChoice, which has faced a declining subscriber base in recent years [4]. According to Canal+ CEO Maxime Saada, investing in premium sports content is critical to making the platform’s offering indispensable to consumers [4]. The newly acquired UEFA rights will join a robust sports line-up that already includes the English Premier League, LaLiga EA Sports, Ligue 1, and the ongoing TotalEnergies Women’s Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2026 [4][5]. Furthermore, this African expansion mirrors Canal+’s European strategy, as the group also holds exclusive rights to all three UEFA club competitions in France for the same 2027 to 2031 cycle [3][6].

Sources

Media Rights UEFA