CAPE TOWN – SuperSport have swept in and will have both Bafana Bafana games against Seychelles on their screens over the next few days.
And what’s more, the pay channel is making the game available to all DStv subscribers.
As the SABC and the SA Football Association try to find common ground on broadcasting national team football matches, SuperSport announced on Friday afternoon that the two Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers will be available on SuperSport 4 (channel 204) and 10 (210).
“South Africa’s vital African Cup of Nations qualifier against Seychelles on Saturday will be broadcast live on SuperSport and, in an unprecedented move, be made available to all DStv subscribers,” SuperSport said.
“Tomorrow’s fixture will be broadcast live on SS4 and SS10, with kickoff at 3pm. Scheduling the Soweto match across all DStv packages will ensure that as many football fans as possible view the crucial clash.”
But it remains to be seen whether the SABC will come to some arrangement to bring the game to the masses, as happened before the last qualifier against Libya in Durban, where a last-minute deal was thrashed out.
Safa issued a strongly-worded statement on Thursday, saying that the SABC had made a “discourteous offer” to broadcast the upcoming national team matches, including against Seychelles and next month against Nigeria.
Safa said that “as things stand”, the Seychelles game at FNB Stadium on Saturday (3pm) and next Tuesday away (2.30pm SA time) won’t be available on any SABC platforms.
Later on Thursday, the public broadcaster said they “remain committed to engaging Safa on fair terms”, but at the moment, no deal has yet been concluded for Saturday’s match.
The SABC said they will have the away game on Tuesday as those rights were not controlled by Safa.
🇿🇦 Bafana set their sights on the Seychelles when they look to extend their unbeaten record in the #Afcon2019Q pic.twitter.com/w93vK97N6H