Nairametrics| Fifa has released broadcast right for Sub-Saharan Africa for the World Cup scheduled to be held in Russia in 2018. Here are the companies that won the rights;
- Econet Media (Owned by a Zimbabwean), by way of free-to-air and pay-TV transmission for all of sub-Saharan Africa except South Africa.
- Supersport (South African owned), by way of pay-TV transmission throughout the region
- South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), by way of free-to-air transmission in South Africa
- StarTimes, owned by the Chinese by way of pay-TV transmission throughout the region, except in South Africa
- CANAL+, by way of pay-TV transmission throughout the region, except in South Africa and Nigeria
- Econet Media, Supersport, SABC and StarTimes were granted further media rights for other 2017-2018 events.
The announcement leaves out Nigerian broadcast companies from owning direct rights to one of the biggest sporting event in the world. To broadcast matches, Nigerian station will have to buy secondary rights from any of the Media outlets above. Nigerian broadcast companies are currently embroiled in a debt controversy with the National Broadcasting Commission. The NBC has threatened to take back licenses of broadcast stations.
