KBC To Air All 52 AFCON 2023 Games

Kenyans across the country intending to follow the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) football matches will now be spoilt for choice after the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) won free-to-air rights.

The government broadcaster will now show all 52 matches of the AFCON 2023 that run from January 13, 2024, to February 11, 2024.

In the contract signed on Friday, January 12 with rights holders New World TV (NWTV), the matches will be broadcast on its TV stations KBC Channel 1 and Y254 as well as on the corporation’s online platforms as a simulcast.

Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba (right) and delegates from the Ministry of Sports during the unveiling of Airing rights of AFCON 2023 at Talanta Hela Plaza on January 12, 2024. /ABABU NAMWAMBA

Furthermore, the matches will be broadcast on all its 14 radio stations namely Radio Taifa, KBC English Service, Pwani FM, Mayienga FM, Ingo FM, Minto FM, Coro FM, Kitwek FM, Ngemi FM, Mwago FM, Mwatu FM, Iftin FM, Nosim FM, and The Eastern Service.

Speaking at the unveiling of the 2024 AFCON licence, Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba remarked that the milestone was among reforms conducted by the government to revive the glory days of the state broadcaster.

"KBC is a premium brand, the government will do everything to support this brand. Mafans wa soccer, this is it, you don't have to struggle to watch your favourite football stars," Namwamba assured.

"It's all coming to you live across your television and radio sets, enjoy the game."

"Everybody in government is supporting KBC to reclaim its position. We can't wait to watch the AFCON matches live from tomorrow," ICT Principal Secretary  Edward Kisiangani who was in attendance, weighed in.

As part of the contract with NWTV, KBC will also broadcast other regional events over the next two years.

They include the CAF Champions League, CAF Confederation Cup, Women’s AFCON 2024, CAF Women’s Champions League 2024, CAF Beach Soccer Championships 2024, CHAN 2024 as well as qualifiers for the AFCON 2025.

The AFCON 2023 matches are set to be hosted at Ivory Coast and will kick off tomorrow at 11 pm East African Time (EAT), January 13 with the hosts, also known as the Elephants, taking on Guinea Bissau in the opening group A matches.

As aforementioned, Kenyans will have several options to catch the games following the announcement by South African-based TV giant, Supersport that it had won the rights to show all the 52 games, two days before the start of the tournament.

Supersport is heavily relied on by sports fans for competitions such as the English Premier League, UEFA Champions, Europa and Conference Leagues, Formula 1, and athletics competitions among others. The AFCON matches will be available on DStv as well as GOtv across Africa.

The tournament's significant popularity globally also saw United Kingdom (UK) TV giant Sky Sports secure rights to show the matches. To be specific, a series of African football stars such as Mohammed Salah, Nicholas Jackson, and Victor Oshimen among others play in Europe's top five leagues such as the Premier League and Serie A.

The 2023 AFCON is set to be the 34th edition of the biennial African association football tournament organised by the Confederation of African Football (CAF). It will be hosted by Ivory Coast for the second time and the first since 1984.

AFCON is one of the major football tournaments that is streamed across most entertainment joints in Kenya, however, this edition will carry a huge significance as it will serve as a taste of what Kenyans should expect when the country hosts it in 2027 alongside Uganda and Tanzania.