Canal+ Continues Its Sports Rights Push With a Deal for the Next Two Rugby World Cups
The agreement keeps rugby’s biggest global tournaments on SuperSport as Canal+ continues to deepen its investment in premium sports rights across Africa
Canal+ Group has secured the rights to broadcast the Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027 and Women’s Rugby World Cup 2029 across Sub-Saharan Africa under a new agreement with World Rugby, keeping the tournaments on SuperSport platforms for audiences across the region.
The deal gives DStv and GOtv subscribers access to rugby’s two biggest international competitions over the next several years and reinforces SuperSport’s position as one of the continent’s leading destinations for premium sports coverage.
Attention is already turning to the 2027 Men’s Rugby World Cup in Australia, where the competition will undergo its most significant expansion in decades. Scheduled to run from 01 October to 13 November 2027, the tournament will grow from 20 to 24 teams and introduce a round-of-16 stage before the quarter-finals.
The revised format will increase the number of participating nations and add more knockout fixtures to the tournament schedule, creating a longer competition and a larger inventory of live matches for broadcasters.
For African audiences, the event will carry added significance with both South Africa and Zimbabwe set to represent the continent. South Africa remains rugby’s dominant force in Africa and one of the sport’s most successful nations globally, while Zimbabwe’s presence broadens regional interest in the expanded tournament.
The agreement arrives at a time when competition for major international sports rights remains intense. Live events continue to command large audiences and remain among the most valuable assets in television, particularly as broadcasters look to retain subscribers and strengthen their premium content offerings.
The rugby deal also comes as Canal+ pursues a broader push around major international sporting events. Ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026, the company announced plans to broadcast all 104 matches live through SuperSport, while extending access across subscription tiers and launching dedicated tournament channels with round-the-clock coverage. Although those measures relate to football rather than rugby, they offer a glimpse into how Canal+ is positioning itself around global sports properties with mass audience appeal.
For World Rugby, the partnership provides access to one of the continent’s largest sports broadcasting footprints. The governing body has been working to expand rugby’s audience beyond its traditional markets, and broad distribution through DStv, GOtv and SuperSport offers a platform to reach viewers across dozens of African countries.
The deal also gives Canal+ another long-term pillar within its sports portfolio as the company continues investing in premium content across African markets. Securing rights to two Rugby World Cups ensures the broadcaster remains attached to some of the sport’s highest-profile events through the end of the decade.
As preparations begin for Australia 2027, the expanded format and wider field of competing nations are expected to bring new audiences into the tournament while giving broadcasters additional opportunities to build coverage around rugby’s biggest global stage.
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