Canal+ secures Rugby World Cup rights for SuperSport
June 3, 2026 12.42 Europe/London By Julian Clover


Canal+ Group has reached an agreement with World Rugby for SuperSport to broadcast the Men’s Rugby World Cup 2027 and Women’s Rugby World Cup 2029 across sub-Saharan Africa.

The rights cover SuperSport channels available through DStv and GOtv.

The 2027 men’s tournament will take place in Australia from October 1 to November 13 and will introduce an expanded 24-team format, including a new round of 16.

South Africa will defend the title it won in 2019 and 2023, while Zimbabwe will return to the Rugby World Cup for the first time since 1991.

The 2029 Women’s Rugby World Cup will see England’s Red Roses defend their title, with South Africa’s participation expected to attract strong interest after becoming the first African team to reach the quarter-finals at the previous tournament.

Canal+ has also extended its broadcast partnership with the Vodacom United Rugby Championship, which features four leading South African clubs, for several seasons.

Michel Poussau, chief revenue officer of World Rugby, said the agreement marked “a major step” in expanding rugby’s audience in Africa.

David Mignot, managing director of Canal+ Africa and MultiChoice, said the deal reflected the group’s commitment to securing major sports competitions for subscribers.