CAF faces fierce backlash over restricted AFCON 2025 broadcast access
Africa’s major public and private broadcasters have condemned the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for its new television rights strategy for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, calling the policy a scandal and demanding full access to all matches for viewers across the continent.
Meeting in Lomé, Togo, on 22 November 2023, representatives from national and independent media outlets voiced alarm over CAF’s decision to market AFCON rights exclusively through New World TV, the competition’s appointed broadcaster.
According to the group, the arrangement would allow African free-to-air channels to show only 32 of the tournament’s 52 matches.
In a joint declaration, broadcasters described the limitation as unacceptable, arguing that it undermines their public service mission.
We reaffirm our firm commitment to offering our people full access to all 52 matches of the competition, the statement read, stressing that restricting 20 matches behind a paywall contradicts the spirit of a continental event financed largely by African taxpayers.
Broadcasters warned that the Africa Cup of Nations is not merely a sporting event but a celebration of our identity, an essential lever for social cohesion and a concrete illustration of the investment of African peoples.
They emphasised that national budgets and citizens’ contributions play a central role in funding AFCON—from national team preparations to stadiums, logistics, security, and, crucially, television rights.
For this reason, they argued, limiting free access to the event amounts to denying the public the very product they help sustain.
The group also rejected what they view as an imported business model unsuited to African realities.
They criticised CAF for imposing an approach inspired by FIFA and UEFA without providing the financial structures those organisations use to support broadcasters and fans.
In their view, such a model is unjustifiable and economically unfair in a region where free-to-air television remains the primary means through which millions follow major sporting events.
Media organisations fear that forcing viewers to rely on private subscription channels or foreign networks to watch all matches will create barriers for many supporters.
They warned that this could not only reduce access but also weaken the unifying impact the tournament traditionally has across diverse communities.
As tensions rise, broadcasters continue to call for immediate discussions with CAF and its partners to revise the current arrangement.
Their position remains clear: full and unrestricted access to all 52 AFCON 2025 matches is essential to preserve both the cultural significance of the competition and the rights of the continent’s viewers.
