Angry African fans threaten to boycott SuperSport over AFCON qualifying matches blackout

African football fans are threatening to cancel their SuperSport subscription after it emerged that the Pan-African pay television broadcaster has not acquired the rights to broadcast the matches of the qualifiers of TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations 2027 which start on Thursday.

Fans are furious that the French company Vivendi that now owns the continental broadcasting company has rather chosen to buy the more expensive UEFA Nations League while it has not acquired the rights to show African football matches.

The situation has prompted criticism among some subscribers who question why they can access extensive coverage of European international football but may not be able to watch their own national teams in AFCON qualification on the same pay-TV service.

Some supporters have even raised the possibility of cancelling subscriptions, arguing that African football should occupy a more prominent place on platforms whose core market is the continent.

The qualifying campaign begins on Thursday, 24 September, with 48 countries competing across 12 groups for places at the finals in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda next year.

Some of Africa’s biggest football nations will be in action during the opening round, including Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Nigeria, Algeria, Morocco, Egypt, South Africa and Mali with some of Africa biggest stars on display.

However, CAF’s official guide detailing where supporters can watch the opening matches does not name SuperSport among its broadcast partners for the qualifiers and the South Africa-based firm has also not advertised its plan to broadcast the matches, which has sparked fury among their paying African customers.

SuperSport continues to provide extensive editorial coverage of the competition on its website, including fixtures, squad information and previews of matches such as Cote d’Ivoire-Ghana and South Africa-Guinea. Its website has a dedicated AFCON qualifying section, but that is separate from confirmation of live television rights.

The absence of SuperSport from that list is particularly notable because the pay-TV network remains one of the most prominent sports broadcasters across Sub-Saharan Africa.

It is also currently promoting live coverage of the 2026-27 UEFA Nations League on its channels and DStv Stream in South Africa to show matches like Andorra v Malta, Kosovo v Ireland and Austria v Israel which has led to accusations of capital flight from Africa for low quality matches.

That contrast has become a source of frustration for supporters who believe a major African broadcaster should give greater priority to the continent’s flagship national-team competition.

“This is blatant discrimination and disrespectful to us as Africans. We have been paying thousands of Naira to SuperSport to be able watch our own African stars but they are forcing rubbish European matches on us. It is time for us to cancel our subscription to teach them a lesson,” a Nigerian Moshood Adepoju subscriber of SuperSport told AfricaSoccer.com.

A Ghanaian customer of SuperSport also lamented about the way the South Africa-based outfit has treated African football without facing any consequences.

“I expect the South African government to start taking action against SuperSport because it cant take money from Africans to send to the Europeans only. Yes we love the EPL and Champions League but to Africans, our national teams and our stars are more important. This is why they must invest the money from African on African football not to ship the money to European football to continue to make European football richer,” Eric Amoah told AfricaSoccer.com.

“Since the company is based in South Africa, that’s why I expect the South Africa regulator must step in to control the way they spend the money they earn from Africa. Some of the money they earn must be invested in African football and domestic football. As African why cant we watch our own matches when we have paid for it?,” the Ghanaian asked.

African stars return home

The qualifiers provide African supporters with a rare opportunity to follow many of the continent’s leading players representing their countries.

Footballers who entertain audiences every week in Europe’s leading leagues will now be playing in front of supporters in Africa as the race for places at AFCON PAMOJA 2027 begins.

The opening round contains several high-profile fixtures, including Cote d’Ivoire against Ghana, Algeria against Zambia, South Africa against Guinea, Nigeria against Madagascar, Egypt against Angola, Mali against Cape Verde and Morocco against Gabon.

CAF has identified several of those matches among the highlights of the first round.

For supporters unable to access a local free-to-air broadcaster, however, the television picture is less straightforward.

CAF turns to free-to-air broadcasters

CAF appears to be placing significant emphasis on national free-to-air broadcasters to fill some of the gaps.

The continental governing body said it was continuing to build relationships with free-to-air broadcasters to ensure its football remained accessible to “hundreds of millions” of African supporters.

For example, RTI will show Cote d’Ivoire’s opening game against Ghana, while SABC is among the broadcasters confirmed for South Africa.

But such arrangements do not necessarily provide the same continent-wide reach historically associated with SuperSport.

The debate comes as interest in African football continues to grow.

48 nations will contest the qualifiers for a 24-team tournament to be staged from 19 June to 17 July 2027, with Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda hosting the competition.

For African supporters, the argument goes beyond one television company.

At a time when African football’s leading players command worldwide attention at some of Europe’s biggest clubs, many fans believe watching those same stars representing African countries should be just as accessible at home.

As the road to Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda gets under way, the quality on the pitch is unlikely to be the only talking point.

How easily African supporters can actually watch it may become just as significant.

CAF says beIN Sports will show the competition across the Middle East and North Africa and a number of other territories, while CANAL+ will broadcast the qualifiers in French across more than 30 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Several free-to-air national broadcasters have also secured matches, including RTI in Cote d’Ivoire, SABC in South Africa, CRTV in Cameroon, RTNC in DR Congo, Botswana TV, Azam in Tanzania, SNRT in Morocco and RBS in Rwanda.