Story audio is generated using AI
SABC viewers were unable to watch the opening matches of the 2026/27 Premier Soccer League season at the weekend as licensing talks with MultiChoice and parent Canal+ continue. The public broadcaster and the operator of DStv have been at loggerheads on several occasions in recent years over the cost and licensing of sports broadcast rights. In 2023, for instance, the government stepped in, and the department paid more than R50m together with three sponsors so that the SABC could screen a limited portion of the Rugby World Cup when negotiations between the SABC and MultiChoice had deadlocked. With Canal+ now at the helm of Africa’s largest pay TV operation, it remains to be seen how its relationship with the state broadcaster will progress, especially as the new owner works to rein in costs at its South African entity, while the SABC struggles to make profit.The broadcaster has abandoned its goal of making a R1bn profit in the 2026/27 financial year, which would have been the first in more than five years. The National Treasury has revised last year’s profit forecast for the broadcaster to a R41.3m loss as it remains saddled with higher labour and content costs.The SABC is hopeful that its current talks will be concluded soon. “The negotiations regarding the PSL sub-licensing agreement remain ongoing, and while discussions with Canal+ continue to progress positively, the agreement has not yet been finalised,” said the state broadcaster in a statement. It added that it remained “committed to concluding the outstanding agreement as soon as possible and, subject to its successful conclusion”, that broadcasts of matches could start on August 15.The two parties have been able to reach an agreement for broadcasting the 2026 MTN8 tournament, “ensuring that South African audiences will once again enjoy free-to-air coverage of one of the country’s premier football competitions”.SABC group CEO Nomsa Chabeli said: “The conclusion of the MTN8 agreement means that millions of viewers across the country will once again be able to enjoy one of our premier domestic football competitions on free-to-air television.“We thank Canal+ for their continued collaboration in making this possible and appreciate the positive engagement that continues on the Premiership discussions. We remain optimistic that these will be concluded soon, allowing us to bring even more South African football to audiences across the country.” Since taking over MultiChoice, Canal+ has made a number of sweeping changes in an effort to reduce costs while pushing to win back lost subscribers. With about 14 million customers, MultiChoice has lost a third of its base in recent years. The biggest change so far is shutting down the video streaming service Showmax after ploughing more than R5bn into the project that had yet to turn a profit.“We are pleased to be partnering with the SABC for the broadcast of the 2026 MTN8 cup competition,” said Canal+ Africa and MultiChoice Group CEO David Mignot. “We continue to have engaging discussions about the rest of the 2026/27 free-to-air sub-licensing agreement, which we hope to conclude soon, more so in this historic 30th season of the PSL.”
