Pay-television broadcaster SuperSport has secured the English Football League rights across sub-Saharan Africa in a deal with the Pitch International agency.
The agreement, which includes South Africa, has been struck ahead of this weekend’s third round of matches from the second-tier Championship, and allowing SuperSport to show tonight’s (Friday’s) clash between Huddersfield and Fulham.
Rights in sub-Saharan Africa to the EFL divisions and the EFL Cup – known as the Carabao Cup – were held by Econet Media but the telecoms firm’s Kwesé TV pay-television arm recently shut down after filing for voluntary administration.
Kwesé’s rights agreement with Pitch was due to run until the end of the 2021-22 season, but these rights have now been assumed by SuperSport after reverting back to the EFL and Pitch.
SuperSport’s newly-acquired rights to the Championship, League One and League Two are not exclusive given pay-TV broadcaster Fox Sports also holds rights in the region.
The rights deal signed with Pitch allows SuperSport to show two EFL matches per week and Reading’s fixture with Cardiff City will also be aired by the broadcaster this weekend.
SuperSport previously held the EFL rights from 2012-13 to 2016-17 before being ousted by Econet as the telecoms operator looked to establish a foothold in the sports rights market.
Supersport’s coverage of the Carabao Cup will begin with second-round games on August 27 and 28.