Image by ICS
Canal+ has acquired the broadcast rights to the first Icons Cup South Africa through a multi-territory agreement with the Icons Series. The partnership puts the cross-sport golf event on SuperSport via DStv. It covers Sub-Saharan Africa, France and select international territories, so the new event has a pay-TV home in its host region and in Canal+’s domestic market. Terms were not disclosed.
SuperSport will show the morning sessions on SuperSport Grandstand and the afternoon sessions on SuperSport Golf. Additional coverage and highlights will run on SuperSport Blitz and DStv CatchUp. The three-day event takes place at The Links at Fancourt in George from 11 to 13 December 2026. Team South Africa, captained by Ernie Els, plays José María Olazábal’s Team World, and the squads include players from rugby, cricket, football, golf, swimming and tennis.
Pairing premium golf coverage with entertainment
Icons Series chief content officer Chris Sice said the agreement marked a major milestone for the series. “By pairing premium golf coverage with entertainment-led storytelling, mic’d-up access, and high-tempo matchplay, we’re delivering a fast-paced, lean-forward live show,” Sice said.
Rendani Ramovha, Canal+ senior vice president for sports content in English- and Portuguese-speaking Africa, said the company was pleased to bring the tournament to Sub-Saharan African audiences.
The rights deal gives the Icons Cup the second half of its commercial base. Earlier this month, Heineken Beverages signed a two-year partnership that relies partly on broadcast integrations for its Windhoek, Savanna and Amarula activations. With SuperSport now confirmed, those integrations have a channel and a pay-TV audience across the region.
SuperSport already carries LIV Golf, which held its first South African event in Johannesburg in March. The Icons Cup is a different product. It is sold on Springbok and Proteas names rather than tour professionals, so it can reach viewers who would watch AB de Villiers putt before they would watch a regular tour event. The three-day format and in-house production also make it straightforward to programme across two channels in December.
French rights
Since completing its takeover of MultiChoice in 2025, Canal+ can buy content once and use it in both its African and French markets. Here it gets an event staged in South Africa that also has international names for its home audience.
The Icons Series has now signed both a headline sponsor and a broadcaster before its African debut has been played. Heineken’s deal runs for two years, but the length of the broadcast agreement was not disclosed.
