Football fans across the African continent can officially begin planning their viewing schedules as the highly anticipated FIFA World Cup 2026 kicks off this Thursday, June 11.
In an official document released by football’s global governing body, FIFA, revealed the comprehensive list of official media partners authorized to broadcast the tournament across various territories.
For Kenyan viewers and the wider Sub-Saharan region, the broadcasting rights have been distributed across major pay-TV and digital giants, ensuring extensive multi-platform coverage spanning Television, Mobile, and Internet streaming.
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In Kenya, football enthusiasts will have multiple options to catch the action live, as FIFA has licensed three major media powerhouses to deliver the tournament. Azam, SuperSport International, and New World TV have all secured comprehensive rights packages that include TV, Mobile, and Internet platforms.
Notably, no radio station in Kenya has secured broadcast rights meaning digital streaming and television will be the primary battlegrounds for live match commentary in the country.
To ensure free-to-air access, Togo-based New World TV is the primary source supplying sub-licensed broadcasting rights to the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC).
This partnership, recently finalized following funding approval from the National Treasury, will allow KBC to beam a curated package of 34 live matches,including the opening ceremony, several group stage matches,the semi-finals, and the final completely free to Kenyan households.
Similar to Kenya, neighboring nations like Rwanda and Malawi will see their broadcast feeds split between Azam, New World TV, and SuperSport International.
Further south, in the Republic of South Africa, viewers will look to a trio of broadcasters, as Sporty TV joins SuperSport International and New World TV in securing rights for TV, Mobile, and Internet distribution.
Meanwhile, Western and Northern Africa feature their own unique broadcasting landscapes.
Nigeria’s massive viewing audience will access the games via New World TV, SuperSport International, and Star Times, with the latter adding significant competition to the West African digital terrestrial space.
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For Arabic-speaking nations and North African powerhouses like Morocco, Libya, and Mauritania, beIN Sports maintains its dominant broadcasting grip.
Crucially, beIN Sports is one of the few networks on the continent holding Radio rights alongside TV, Mobile, and Internet coverage, while local broadcaster SNRT will also sub-license rights from beIN Sports specifically for Moroccan viewers.
The tournament kicks off on Thursday with a match between co-hosts Mexico and South Africa at the historic Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, preceded by the opening ceremony.
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