SABC to miss Betway Premiership opening weekend after TV deal stalls

SABC will not broadcast the opening round of the 2026/27 Betway Premiership season after negotiations over television rights failed to conclude before the campaign begins.

The public broadcaster confirmed on Friday, 31 July 2026, that free-to-air viewers would be unable to watch this weekend’s fixtures. The opening matches are scheduled to take place from Saturday, 1 August 2026.

The decision affects millions of Betway Premiership supporters who depend on SABC for access to South Africa’s top-flight football without a subscription television service.

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The blackout is the result of unresolved sub-licensing talks involving CANAL+, which holds the Betway Premiership broadcasting rights alongside MultiChoice. SABC said discussions with the rights holders were still taking place, but the parties had not reached a commercial agreement in time for the start of the new season.

SABC remains hopeful that a deal can be completed shortly. Should the negotiations succeed, the broadcaster intends to resume live Betway Premiership coverage from 15 August 2026.

The failure to reach an agreement means supporters will miss a number of important fixtures during the opening weekend, including the first match in Orlando Pirates’ defence of the league title.

The defending champions are due to host Milford FC at the Orlando Amstel Arena. In another prominent fixture, Kaizer Chiefs will travel to Mbombela Stadium to play newly promoted Kruger United.

Supporters without access to subscription television services will therefore be unable to watch the opening Betway Premiership matches on free-to-air television unless the broadcasting dispute is resolved.

Despite the setback, SABC has confirmed that it will show the 2026 MTN8 tournament on free-to-air television. SABC Group Chief Executive Officer Nomsa Chabeli confirmed that an agreement had been reached with CANAL+ for the competition.

CANAL+ Africa and MultiChoice Group CEO David Mignot welcomed the MTN8 partnership and expressed confidence that a broader arrangement covering the Betway Premiership would also be reached.

The announcement has caused frustration among fans who rely on SABC 1 to follow local football. The broadcaster’s coverage has traditionally provided viewers without paid television subscriptions with access to major domestic matches, making the absence of the opening round particularly significant.

For now, however, no free-to-air Betway Premiership broadcast has been confirmed for the first weekend of the 2026/27 season. SABC’s next planned return to live league coverage is 15 August 2026, provided the ongoing negotiations with CANAL+ and MultiChoice result in an agreement.