New World TV details unprecedented 2026 World Cup coverage across francophone Africa

New World TV has revealed what it describes as a historic broadcasting operation for the 2026 World Cup, outlining a 39-day schedule that included every one of the tournament’s 104 matches and targeted hundreds of millions of viewers across sub-Saharan Africa.

In a statement issued on 24 July, the broadcaster – FIFA’s official rights holder in sub-Saharan Africa – said it showed the entire competition live and exclusively on its seven NW SPORT channels in 19 francophone territories in the region.

The 2026 edition, the first World Cup to feature 48 teams, was covered in full by New World TV, which says it deployed an unprecedented technical and editorial set-up for the duration of the tournament.

Full live rights and extensive studio output

Across the month-long event, New World TV produced 38 dedicated programmes to support its match coverage. Among them were flagship shows Tam Tam and Le Grand Show, which relied on the work of several hundred media professionals brought together for the World Cup.

The group stressed that all live fixtures were carried on its NW SPORT network, ensuring subscribers in its francophone markets could watch every game without interruption.

New World TV said this comprehensive coverage was at the heart of its strategy to position itself as a leading sports broadcaster in sub-Saharan Africa during the expanded World Cup.

Wide free-to-air access via sublicensing

Alongside its pay-TV operation, New World TV coordinated what it called a large-scale sublicensing scheme with free-to-air partners.

According to the broadcaster, agreements were signed with 44 public and private television channels in 35 countries, enabling audiences to watch a selection of matches at no cost.

Depending on the territory, between 34 and 44 games were made available free-to-air under these sublicensing deals, broadening access well beyond New World TV’s direct subscriber base.

The group presented this as a key pillar of its World Cup project, aimed at maximising reach while respecting its role as the principal rights holder in the region.

Pan-African production and multilingual commentary

New World TV also highlighted a deliberate editorial focus on the continent, describing its content as “panafrican” in conception and execution.

Its programmes were produced between New York and Lome, with editorial and technical teams spread across Africa, North America and Europe. The coverage featured contributions from several former African football stars, who appeared as pundits and guests in the studio and on set.

To better reflect the linguistic diversity of its audience, New World TV offered commentary not only in French and English but also in a range of widely spoken African languages: ewe, wolof, lingala, bambara and haoussa.

The broadcaster said this multilingual approach was designed to reach a broader cross-section of viewers and to make the World Cup feel more accessible to fans in different regions.

African teams’ progress praised

In its statement, New World TV also paid tribute to the performance of the African national teams competing within its broadcast footprint.

The group underlined that all the African sides in its zone of diffusion reached the round of 32 – described in the communique as the “seiziemes de finale” – of the 2026 World Cup.

By linking this collective achievement to its own coverage, New World TV framed the tournament as a landmark both for African football and for its role in bringing the event to audiences across sub-Saharan Africa.