KEY POINTS
- Canal+ seals $3 billion takeover of MultiChoice.
- Combined group to serve more than 40 million users.
- Deal strengthens Canal+ dominance in African pay-TV.
French broadcaster Canal+ said Monday it has taken effective control of South Africa’s MultiChoice, sealing a $3 billion takeover that creates one of the world’s biggest pay-TV groups across Africa, Europe, and Asia.
The deal, described as the largest in Canal+’s history, gives the combined group a workforce of 17,000 and more than 40 million subscribers in nearly 70 countries.
Canal+ completes MultiChoice takeover after long bid
The acquisition, approved by South Africa’s competition authority in July, comes more than a year after Canal+ launched its offer of 125 rand ($7.20) per share. MultiChoice, home to DStv and SuperSport, brings a dominant foothold in English- and Portuguese-speaking Africa to Canal+’s strength in francophone markets.
A new leader in Africa’s pay-TV market
With 8 million subscribers already in 25 African countries, Canal+ will now add MultiChoice’s 14.5 million-strong base across 50 sub-Saharan nations. The enlarged group positions itself as the clear leader in one of the fastest-growing pay-TV markets globally.
“This acquisition allows us to strengthen our position as a leader in Africa, also one of the most dynamic pay-TV markets in the world,” Canal+ CEO Maxime Saada said in a joint statement.
Sports rights and streaming drive expansion
MultiChoice controls Africa’s premier sports broadcaster, SuperSport, a major attraction for subscribers, alongside its DStv satellite service. The acquisition further gives Canal+ stronger leverage in sports rights negotiations and a bigger role in the continent’s fast-expanding streaming market.
