CAF Names MEL and MBS as Free-to-Air Broadcast Partners for 2027 AFCON

Posted : 22 October 2026

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) and other selected CAF competitions. The agreement is expected to expand access to African football across Sub-Saharan Africa, with coverage targeting more than 500 million homes in at least 40 countries.

The partnership follows a competitive bidding process launched by CAF in August 2026 for free-to-air and pay-TV broadcast rights in the region. The latest agreement completes the free-to-air component of the broadcast arrangements for the 2027 tournament.

MEL and MBS will establish a network of national and regional broadcasters to deliver live coverage of the competition. The planned distribution includes major football markets such as Nigeria, South Africa, Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Senegal, Angola and Ethiopia.

The three host nations, Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, are also expected to receive free-to-air coverage. CAF and the rights holders will announce the participating broadcasters for individual countries in the coming months.

The agreement extends beyond the senior men's AFCON tournament. It also covers the 2026 Futsal Africa Cup of Nations, the 2026 CAF Africa Beach Soccer Cup of Nations, the 2027 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations and the 2027 Africa U-17 Cup of Nations.

The 2027 AFCON will take place from June 19 to July 17. Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania will jointly host the tournament, marking the first time three countries have co-hosted the men's competition. It will also be the first edition staged in East Africa since Ethiopia hosted the tournament in 1976.

CAF President Patrice Motsepe highlighted the competition's growing global audience. According to the figures cited in the announcement, the 2023 AFCON in Côte d'Ivoire attracted nearly two billion viewers, while the 2025 edition in Morocco generated billions of television and digital views.

Media Experts Limited Chief Executive Officer Kunle Falodun described free-to-air television as an important platform for bringing African football fans together. He said the agreement would give brands and corporate sponsors an opportunity to connect with audiences through one of the continent's leading national-team competitions.

Richard Dimosi Diasolwa, Chief Executive Officer of Media Business Solutions UK Ltd, also welcomed the agreement. He recalled the company's experience distributing the 2023 tournament in Côte d'Ivoire and said the new partnership would extend the competition's reach alongside MEL.

The appointment is expected to strengthen access to CAF competitions, particularly in markets where free television remains an important source of live sports coverage. However, viewers will have to wait for the announcement of individual broadcast partners to know which channels will show the 2027 AFCON in their respective countries.

CAF Names MEL and MBS as Free-to-Air Broadcast Partners for 2027 AFCON

ADD A COMMENT :

Hot Topics