Canal+ Afrique secures major French broadcast rights to a host of African soccer competitions

Canal+ Group has acquired the exclusive French broadcast rights to a host of African soccer competitions, including the next two editions of the Orange Africa Cup of Nations, after agreeing a new deal with the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

The deal, negotiated by the CAF’s marketing agency Sportfive, will see Canal+ broadcast the 2013 and 2015 editions of Africa’s premier international soccer tournament, including all qualifying matches leading up to both events, along with several other competitions under the CAF umbrella.

These include: the Orange CAF Champions League and Orange CAF Confederation Cup each year until 2016; the Orange African Nations Championship in 2014 and 2016; and the Orange CAF Super Cup from next year until 2016.

Canal+ will air matches across its family of channels, including Canal+, Canal+Sport, Sport+ and Foot+. A portion of the pay-TV broadcaster’s Africa Cup of Nations coverage will, however, be co-broadcast along with D8, which will also carry the opening match, quarter-finals, semi-finals and the final.