SuperSport is a South African-based group of television channels carried on the DStv & CANAL+ satellite platforms and the GOtv terrestrial platform for live sports programming. It provides sports content in South Africa, Nigeria and all Sub-Saharan Africa countries.
SuperSport broadcasts a wide range of major sporting events and leagues, including association football, rugby, cricket, tennis, golf, motorsport, cycling, boxing, wrestling, field hockey, and athletics. At its peak, it was the world's largest broadcaster of live rugby and cricket, though it has since been overtaken by Sky Sports. It also held the position of the second-largest Premier League broadcaster globally, offering live matches and, when possible, high-definition broadcasts through the Premier League's Content Service.
In addition to its satellite channels, SuperSport provides content to M-Net, CSN, and occasionally M-Net HD. Following the model of Sky Sports, in September 2020, SuperSport began operating thematic channels, dedicating specific channels to major sports.
Currently, more than 3.5 million households across Africa access SuperSport via the DStv platform.
History
In 1986, M-Net was launched as South Africa's first pay-television channel and, along with Canal+, only the second outside of the United States. The channel immediately showed its intention to include sport in its programming line-up, by securing exclusive rights of an important Currie Cup match between Transvaal and Western Province for its first ever broadcast. From 1988, sports coverage on M-Net ran under the banner of M-Net SuperSport.
M-Net SuperSport expanded its range of coverage, including live overseas rugby, cricket, golf, boxing and cycling. Following South Africa's readmission into international cricket, SuperSport scored another marketing coup by securing exclusive rights to the 1992 Cricket World Cup.
When rugby turned professional in 1995, a deal was struck between the newly formed SANZAR and Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. In South Africa, SuperSport was awarded exclusive broadcasting rights of the Super 12 competition, as well as the Tri Nations. Following this deal, rugby gradually ceased broadcasting on the SABC, while SuperSport became a carrier of live rugby broadcasts.
At the same time, Naspers expanded its pay-television operations to a satellite carrier. With the launch of DStv in 1995, SuperSport became a multi-channel network and an independent brand, although it was still primarily associated with M-Net. The network made full use of the satellite platform to expand its sports offering: For the Olympic Games, six channels are generally used for live events.
On 4 September 2001, SuperSport moved its locations on the DStv platform. All of the SuperSport channels were now located in the 21-29 range while SuperSport Zone moved to channel 20. SuperSport International was renamed SuperSport 3, with an emphasis on the "big 3" sports (soccer, athletics, boxing) carried by the network. The interactive service, SuperSport Zone, started in May 2001."Major re-launch for Africa's sports on TV", Africa Film & TV Magazine, nº. 32, February–April 2002
In 2007, the SABC lost its exclusive rights to the local Premier Soccer League (PSL) to SuperSport, in a deal worth R1.6 billion. The deal stipulated that some matches had to be shared with the SABC. In August 2011, SuperSport renewed its contract with the PSL for another five years.
Since 2011, SuperSport's association with M-Net began to fade, when M-Net split its terrestrial feed from its DStv channel. DStv viewers can no longer watch sports events on M-Net, although terrestrial subscribers still get feeds on the main channel, as well as the Community Services Network (CSN).
A Premier Soccer League team bears the channel's name. SuperSport United F.C. was originally known as Pretoria City but bought by M-Net in 1995 after which it was renamed. In July 2025, it was announced that Siwelele F.C. would buy the club.
On August 8, 2020, SuperSport announced a gradual makeover/revamp of its channels, meaning the numbering of the channels since the channel's commencement of expansion in 2003 such as SuperSport 3 would be replaced with specific-sport TV channels which they "enhances the sports viewers' experience" and "makes it easier to find and watch a favourite league, competition or sport". The revamp would be operational from September 1, 2020, onwards.
On April 22, 2021, SuperSport got ownership of School Sport Live and rebranded it into SuperSport Schools. Under the new ownership, SuperSport Schools will continue to broadcast the best of School Sports online and also through SuperSport linear channels bringing it close to their other content. In this agreement, the brand is expected to get a mobile app later in the year.
List of channels
SuperSport has 3 broadcast feeds on the African continent; South Africa, Nigeria & Rest of Africa (ROA).
South Africa
Channel NameChannel NumberPackagesSuperSport WWE HD128DStv StarterSuperSport Events HD199DStv SportsSuperSport Blitz HD200DStv EasyviewSuperSport Grandstand HD201DStv PremiumSuperSport PSL HD202DStv SelectSuperSport Premier League HD203DStv SportsSuperSport LaLiga HD204DStv StarterSuperSport Football HD205DStv SelectSuperSport Football Plus HD206DStv SportsSuperSport Kickoff HD207DStv StarterSuperSport Africa HD208DStv StarterSuperSport Action HD209DStv SportsSuperSport Extra HD210DStv SportsSuperSport Rugby HD211DStv PremiumSuperSport Cricket HD212DStv SportsSuperSport Golf HD213DStv PremiumSuperSport Tennis HD214DStv PremiumSuperSport Motorsport HD215DStv PremiumSuperSport Schools HD216DStv EasyviewSuperSport Extra 2 HD217DStv PremiumSuperSport Máximo 1 HD241DStv PremiumSuperSport Play243DStv Free To ViewSuperSport OTT 1244DStv AppSuperSport OTT 5245DStv AppSuperSport OTT 2246DStv AppSuperSport OTT 3247DStv AppSuperSport OTT 4248DStv AppSuperSport OTT 6950DStv AppSuperSport OTT 7951DStv AppSuperSport OTT 8952DStv AppSuperSport CSN490M-Net Terrestrial491
Nigeria
Channel NameChannel NumberPackagesSuperSport WWE HD128 or 206DStv Confam67GOtv SupaSuperSport Events HD199DStv CompactSuperSport Blitz Africa HD200DStv Padi60GOtv SmallieSuperSport Grandstand HD201DStv PremiumSuperSport Football Plus HD202DStv Compact PlusSuperSport Premier League HD203DStv Compact65GOtv Supa PlusSuperSport LaLiga HD204DStv Confam62GOtv MaxSuperSport Football HD205DStv Confam64GOtv MaxSuperSport Kickoff HD207DStv Yanga61GOtv JinjaSuperSport Africa HD208DStv Yanga63GOtv JinjaSuperSport Action HD209DStv Compact66GOtv Supa PlusSuperSport Extra HD210DStv Compact PlusSuperSport Rugby211DStv PremiumSuperSport Cricket212DStv PremiumSuperSport Golf213DStv PremiumSuperSport Tennis HD214DStv PremiumSuperSport Motorsport HD215DStv PremiumSuperSport Extra 2 HD217DStv PremiumSuperSport Máximo 1 HD241DStv PremiumSuperSport Máximo 2 HD242DStv PremiumSuperSport OTT 1244DStv AppSuperSport OTT 5245DStv AppSuperSport OTT 2246DStv AppSuperSport OTT 3247DStv AppSuperSport OTT 4248DStv AppSuperSport OTT 6950DStv AppSuperSport OTT 7951DStv AppSuperSport OTT 8952DStv App
Rest Of Africa
Most of the channels for SuperSport Nigeria are shared with the Rest of African (ROA) Feed, excluding only 3 channels as SuperSport has catered for a separate ROA feed for these. They are SS Football Plus, SS Premier League & SS LaLiga. The Sub-Saharan African feed is divided into 2 zones, Anglophone Africa (English-speaking countries) & Lusophone Africa (Portuguese-speaking countries).
Anglophone Africa
Channel NameChannel NumberPackagesSuperSport WWE HD128 or 226DStv Family67GOtv Supa725CANAL+ English Plus & TOUT CANAL+SuperSport Events HD199DStv CompactSuperSport PSL HD202DStv Family (Southern Africa only)SuperSport Schools HD216DStv Access (Southern Africa only)SuperSport Extra 2 HD217DStv PremiumSuperSport Blitz Africa HD220DStv Access60GOtv LiteSuperSport Grandstand HD221DStv PremiumSuperSport Football Plus HD222DStv Compact Plus110 or 253 or 78CANAL+ English Plus & TOUT CANAL+SuperSport Premier League HD223DStv Compact65GOtv Supa Plus112 or 255 or 80CANAL+ English Plus & TOUT CANAL+SuperSport LaLiga HD224DStv Family62GOtv Max113 or 256 or 81CANAL+ English Plus & TOUT CANAL+SuperSport Football HD225DStv Family64GOtv Max111 or 254 or 79CANAL+ English Plus & TOUT CANAL+SuperSport Kickoff HD227DStv Access61GOtv Plus727CANAL+ English Plus & TOUT CANAL+SuperSport Africa HD228DStv Lite63GOtv ValueSuperSport Action HD229DStv Compact66GOtv Supa Plus726CANAL+ English Plus & TOUT CANAL+SuperSport Extra HD230DStv Compact PlusSuperSport Rugby231DStv PremiumSuperSport Cricket232DStv PremiumSuperSport Golf233DStv PremiumSuperSport Tennis HD234DStv PremiumSuperSport Motorsport HD235DStv PremiumSuperSport Máximo 1 HD241DStv PremiumSuperSport Máximo 2 HD242DStv PremiumSuperSport Play243DStv Free To View (Southern Africa only)SuperSport OTT 1244DStv AppSuperSport OTT 5245DStv AppSuperSport OTT 2246DStv AppSuperSport OTT 3247DStv AppSuperSport OTT 4248DStv AppSuperSport OTT 6950DStv AppSuperSport OTT 7951DStv AppSuperSport OTT 8952DStv App
Lusophone Africa (Applies mainly in Angola & Mozambique)
Channel NameChannel NumberPackagesSuperSport Máximo 360600DStv Mega or DStv Bue, DStv Grande+, DStv Grande, DStv Familia+, DStv Familia 50GOtv Supa PlusSuperSport Máximo 1 HD601DStv Mega or DStv Bue, DStv Grande+, DStv GrandeSuperSport Máximo 2 HD602DStv Mega or DStv Bue, DStv Grande+, DStv Grande, DStv Familia+52GOtv Supa PlusSuperSport Máximo 3 HD603DStv Mega or DStv Bue, DStv Grande+, DStv Grande, DStv Familia+51GOtv Supa PlusSuperSport WWE HD610 or 626DStv Mega or DStv Bue, DStv Grande+, DStv Grande, DStv Familia+68GOtv Supa PlusSuperSport Blitz Africa HD620DStv Mega or DStv Bue, DStv Grande+, DStv Grande, DStv Familia+, DStv Familia60GOtv Supa PlusSuperSport Grandstand HD621DStv Mega or DStv BueSuperSport Football Plus HD622DStv Mega or DStv BueSuperSport Premier League HD623DStv Mega or DStv Bue, DStv Grande, DStv Familia+65GOtv Supa PlusSuperSport LaLiga HD 624DStv Mega or DStv Bue, DStv Grande+, DStv Grande, DStv Familia+, DStv Familia62GOtv Supa PlusSuperSport Football HD625DStv Mega or DStv Bue, DStv Grande+, DStv Grande, DStv Familia+, DStv Familia, DStv Facil61GOtv Supa PlusSuperSport Kickoff HD627DStv Mega or DStv Bue, DStv Grande+, DStv Grande63GOtv Supa PlusSuperSport Africa HD628DStv Mega or DStv Bue, DStv Grande+,64GOtv Supa PlusSuperSport Action HD629DStv Mega or DStv Bue, DStv Grande+66GOtv Supa PlusSuperSport Extra HD630DStv Mega or DStv BueSuperSport Rugby631DStv PremiumSuperSport Cricket632DStv Premium SuperSport Golf633DStv PremiumSuperSport Tennis HD634DStv Mega or DStv BueSuperSport Motorsport HD635DStv Mega or DStv BueSuperSport OTT 1244DStv AppSuperSport OTT 5245DStv AppSuperSport OTT 2246DStv AppSuperSport OTT 3247DStv AppSuperSport OTT 4248DStv AppSuperSport OTT 6950DStv AppSuperSport OTT 7951DStv AppSuperSport OTT 8952DStv App
SuperSport Events (199) SuperSport Events is SuperSport's main hub for several exclusive sporting events. It also acts as an overflow channel when other SuperSport channels are occupied with live sporting action. The channel is available on DStv Sports in South Africa and DStv Compact in the Rest Of Africa (incl. Nigeria).
SuperSport Blitz (200) SuperSport Blitz (Blitz Africa outside South Africa), formerly known as SuperSport Update, was launched on 1 October 2006 featuring news, features, announcements, highlights, previews & sporting events all around the world. For some hours it relays Sky Sports News live from the UK.
The channel is available on DStv Easyview in South Africa, DStv Access and GOtv Lite in the Rest of Africa, & DStv Padi and GOtv Smallie in Nigeria.
SuperSport Grandstand (201) SuperSport Grandstand is SuperSport's go-to premium destination, featuring the day's best live sport available. These include any sporting events from rugby, golf, tennis, motorsport, cricket, and football.