CAF names broadcast partners for 2027 AFCON across sub-Saharan Africa

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has appointed Media Experts Limited (MEL) and Media Business Solutions (UK) Ltd (MBS) as the exclusive free-to-air broadcast rights holders for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) across sub-Saharan Africa.

The two agencies will oversee the distribution of the tournament’s television rights through a network of national and regional broadcasters, with CAF targeting an estimated reach of more than 500 million households in at least 40 countries.

The agreement completes CAF’s broadcast rights arrangements for the region, following the announcement earlier this month that Canal+ had secured the pay-TV rights covering English, French and Portuguese-language broadcasts.

Under the free-to-air agreement, coverage will be secured in the three host nations, Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, as well as major football markets including Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, DR Congo, Senegal, Angola and Ethiopia.

CAF says the broadcast partners in the respective countries will be announced in the coming months.

The agreement also includes broadcast rights for the 2026 Futsal Africa Cup of Nations, the 2026 Africa Beach Soccer Cup of Nations, and the 2027 U-20 and U-17 Africa Cup of Nations.

The 2027 AFCON, branded AFCON PAMOJA, will run from 19 June to 17 July and mark the tournament’s return to East Africa for the first time since Ethiopia hosted the competition in 1976.

CAF president Patrice Motsepe highlighted the growing global appeal of African football, pointing to the tournament’s impressive television and digital audiences in recent editions.

He said the 2023 AFCON in Côte d’Ivoire attracted nearly two billion viewers, while the 2025 tournament in Morocco generated 3.6 billion viewers worldwide, increasing to six billion when digital views across social media platforms were included.

CAF’s earlier research also indicated a 61% increase in viewership across Europe, Asia and South America.

Media Experts Limited chief executive Kunle Falodun described the agreement as a major commercial opportunity for brands and corporate sponsors seeking to connect with football audiences across the continent.

“Free-to-air television is where Africa watches its biggest moments together, and AFCON is the biggest football moment we have,” he said.

MBS chief executive Richard Dimosi Diasolwa also expressed confidence in the partnership, drawing on the company’s experience distributing the 2023 AFCON in Côte d’Ivoire.

He said the previous tournament demonstrated the impact of making African football accessible to households across the continent.

MEL already holds CAF’s sub-Saharan free-to-air broadcast mandate for the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, making the latest agreement an extension of its existing relationship with the continental football governing body.

The arrangement gives CAF separate commercial channels for free-to-air and pay-TV distribution, allowing it to maximise broadcast revenue while maintaining access to a wider audience.

Free-to-air television remains particularly important across sub-Saharan Africa, where subscription services are beyond the reach of many households.

A 2026 GeoPoll Africa Football Survey found that free-to-air television was the leading platform for watching live football in Nigeria, with 64% of respondents identifying it as their preferred option.

With the broadcast rights secured, attention will now turn to MEL and MBS as they work to establish partnerships with national television stations ahead of the tournament.

The target of reaching more than 500 million households represents CAF’s projected coverage rather than a confirmed viewing audience. The announcement of individual broadcast partners in the coming months will provide a clearer indication of the agreement’s actual reach.