Multichoice, the parent company of DStv, has announced that its SuperSport channels will not be broadcasting the highly anticipated African Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2023 tournament.
The satellite giant revealed that it failed to secure the rights necessary to air the continent’s most significant football event.
The announcement, made on Wednesday, has left football enthusiasts and DStv subscribers disappointed as SuperSport channels have been a traditional hub for live sports coverage, including major football tournaments.
The upcoming AFCON, scheduled to kick off on January 13th and run through February 11th, 2024, will now be absent from the Multichoice platform.
“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,” stated the official release from Multichoice.
Despite this setback, Multichoice reassured its audience that AFCON 2023 matches would still be accessible through partner broadcast stations on Free to Air (FTA) channels.
The company emphasized its commitment to providing unrivaled access to entertainment and football games across its platforms, including the Premier League, LaLiga, Serie A, Zambian Super League, and other prestigious football competitions.
The 34th edition of AFCON is set to take place in Ivory Coast, commencing on January 13th. Football enthusiasts were eagerly anticipating the tournament, which will feature powerhouse teams, including Nigeria, facing off against the hosts, Ivory Coast, Guinea-Bissau, and Equatorial Guinea in Group A.
As Multichoice Africa faces criticism for the unexpected exclusion of AFCON 2023 from its SuperSport channels, football fans are now seeking alternative avenues to catch the action and experience the excitement of one of Africa’s most celebrated football tournaments.