SuperSport secures major FIFA and UEFA football rights

SuperSport has signed an agreement with Uefa, the governing body for soccer in Europe, for the rights to a number of major international soccer properties.

Under the terms of the agreement, the pay-TV network operating in sub-Saharan Africa will broadcast qualifiers for the 2020 Uefa European Championship as well as the event itself, which is due to be staged in 13 cities across Europe.

Additionally, SuperSport will provide coverage of the European qualifiers for the 2022 Fifa World Cup in Qatar, as well as the Uefa Nations League, a new competition being launched by the confederation in 2018.

The agreement guarantees international European soccer for SuperSport until 2022. The media group will hold exclusive rights to the properties in South Africa, and non-exclusive rights in the rest of sub-Saharan Africa and adjacent islands.

“Uefa is happy to continue and further strengthen its relationship with SuperSport,’’ said Guy-Laurent Epstein, managing director of marketing for Uefa Events SA. “SuperSport is a long-standing Uefa partner and we are confident SuperSport will deliver great coverage and promotion of the Uefa 2018-2022 national team football portfolio to fans across Sub-Saharan Africa and exclusively in South Africa.”

“These are tremendous acquisitions,” said Gideon Khobane, chief executive of SuperSport. “The European Championship traditionally energises our viewers who thrive on watching the superstars in unrelenting competition. The Uefa Nations League is bound to develop an avid following, too, and SuperSport looks forward to adding this to our already substantial football offering.”

Qualifiers for the 2020 Uefa European Championship are scheduled to get underway in March 2019.