SuperSport acquires Bafana Bafana TV rights

African sports network SuperSport has acquired the broadcast rights to a host of South African national soccer team matches in 2013.

The deal, brokered between SuperSport and the South African Football Association (SAFA), will see the network’s World of Champions channel broadcast all home and away friendly matches featuring the men’s national team – Bafana Bafana – throughout South Africa, sub-Saharan Africa and the adjacent islands for the next 12 months.

According to an official press release, the deal also includes broadcast rights to South African national women’s soccer team matches as well as ‘men’s and women’s national age-group teams and other SAFA content, including development and grassroots football.’ The financial terms of the deal were not released.

Happy Ntshingila, chief executive of SuperSport, said: “The World of Champions is very pleased to add SAFA’s content to our wide array of football and other sport. This is an extremely significant year for Bafana Bafana and we are proud that our subscribers will be able to support our national team through our exclusively live and high definition broadcasts.”

Acting SAFA chief executive Pinky Lehoko added: “The additional exposure that this deal will give to our national teams will assist us commercially going forward by giving our sponsors additional exposure.”