Battle for TV rights in Africa: Canal+ and New World TV face the threat of piracy

The war over broadcasting major sporting competitions in French-speaking sub-Saharan Africa is intensifying. On one side is Canal+, the long-established broadcaster of major sporting events in the region. On the other is an ambitious newcomer, New World TV, which made a huge splash by snapping up the exclusive broadcast rights to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and, more recently, Euro 2024 and the UEFA Champions League. But what looks at first glance like a clash of the titans could well end in a defeat for both groups, with another unexpected winner: piracy.

A communication failure: a loophole exploited by piracy

By landing the exclusive Champions League rights for the 26 countries in the region, New World TV breathed fresh air into the African broadcasting landscape. Many initially welcomed the arrival of a competitor that, on paper, could have benefited the consumer. But this breakthrough came with major communication and distribution problems. Many subscribers used to Canal+ found out too late that their long-time broadcaster no longer held the full Champions League rights. They re-subscribed, thinking they could follow the matches, when in reality Canal+ will only show the top fixtures of each matchday and a dedicated magazine show on Wednesdays.

On the other side, New World TV is struggling to make itself accessible, despite sub-licences sold to several African public channels. Its distribution is limited in some areas, and the minimal communication from the Togolese channel leaves European football fans in the dark. Some do not even know that New World TV holds the broadcast rights, others do not know how to subscribe, or simply cannot get the service in their region. This situation breeds frustration among football fans who, with no simple, clear option, turn to alternative methods: piracy.

Piracy is already well entrenched in sub-Saharan Africa and could expand further. Fans, desperate to follow their favourite teams, do not hesitate to get round the obstacles by illegally accessing streams online. This trend is likely to worsen with the lack of a clear, accessible offer for the Champions League, a competition that runs throughout the season, whereas the Euro, the AFCON or the World Cup last no more than 4 weeks.

Canal+ hits back… in English

Faced with the rise of New World TV, Canal+ has found a workaround by opening its English-language bouquet to its subscribers via the channels SuperSport Football and SuperSport Football Plus, which show the Champions League in English. Without changing decoder, and for a supplement to their basic subscription of between 2000 and 5000 CFA francs, subscribers can access these channels and follow the games. The formula has already proved successful during the 2022 World Cup.

So Champions League matches are available in English, a plus for Canal, which is trying to retain its customer base despite losing the full broadcast rights. But this strategy remains a stopgap, and it does not meet the expectations of a French-speaking audience used to following commentary in its own language. What is more, it only underlines the growing complexity of the sports broadcasting market in Africa.

Competition at subscribers' expense

This situation highlights a fundamental problem: the confusion this battle creates for consumers. With two players sharing the rights, subscribers no longer know where to turn to follow their favourite competitions. New World TV, despite its efforts to position itself as the new leader, has yet to build a solid communication infrastructure and a distribution network wide enough to compete fully with a well-established player enjoying greater brand recognition. Two years after its 2022 World Cup coup, the Togolese channel is treading water and seems to lack a defined strategy. Its viewing figures during the 2023 AFCON and Euro 2024 are proof of that.

For its part, Canal+ offers only a partial solution, not enough to fully satisfy football fans. The many complaints from football supporters on social media during Euro 2024, and since 17 September and the start of the Champions League campaign, are a perfect illustration.

If this situation continues, it could lead to a drop in subscribers for both groups. Frustrated consumers risk turning more and more to illegal means to access the competitions. Piracy, already very much present, could become the norm for many football fans in sub-Saharan Africa.

A sports market in need of a rethink

The stakes for Canal+ and New World TV go beyond a battle for broadcast rights. It is about redefining access to sporting competitions in a region where sport is a genuine popular passion. If the two groups fail to meet consumers' expectations on simplicity, availability and cost, there is a real risk of pirate streaming platforms multiplying, to the detriment of the legal broadcasting industry. A whole ecosystem would be turned upside down.

Both companies, though in a strong position in Africa's sports rights market, risk ending up as the big losers of this battle. To avoid that scenario, the two broadcasters will have to rethink their approach, particularly on communication and distribution, to offer a clear, accessible package for as many people as possible. The race for sports rights can only be won with a solid strategy to win and retain subscribers, while reducing the appeal of piracy.

Malick BAMBA