Sub-Saharan Africa

The IAAF completed sales for the TV rights for its World Championships in Athletics, which open on 25 August in Osaka Japan.

FIFA agreed a deal with Telkom South Africa as a National Supporter of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ in the category of fixed-line telecommunications.

The battle over soccer TV rights was settled, according to South African media reports, with an agreement in which the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) will screen 143 Premier Soccer League matches.

According to reports the SANZAR rugby unions have been warned by their national broadcast partners that a repeat of this season’s selection policy – in which under-strength sides were fielded - would not be tolerated.

The International Olympic Committee awarded the broadcast rights for the Olympic Games in 2010 and 2012 to South African public-service broadcaster SABC.

Hong Kong-based sports marketing company ActionHouse International has become a major shareholder of Valke Rugby, the professional South African Rugby Club who were Champions of the Vodacom Cup in 2006.

The 2010 World Cup local organising committee came out in support of the South African Premier Soccer League’s decision to award its TV rights to pay-broadcaster SuperSport.

South Africa’s Premier Soccer League is in talks with public-service broadcaster the SABC in order to try and negotiate a compromise in the row over the league’s TV rights.

South Africa’s Western Province Rugby Union is looking to move rugby out of its traditional home at Newlands to Cape Town’s new Green Point Stadium after
the 2010 World Cup.

With the qualifying round for the FIFA 2010 World Cup™ taking place in Durban, South Africa, just two days before Soccerex 2007 kicks off, football federations from around the world will descend on South Africa during November.

Media Partners & Silva agreed a deal with South African pay-broadcaster SuperSport for the TV rights for Italy’s Serie A in South Africa.

Four years after laying the first stone of the Diambars Football Academy in Senegal, Patrick Vieira, Jimmy Adjovi-Boco and Bernard Lama will return to the Academy this month and will announce new projects in partnership with both UNESCO and FIFA as well as partners from the private sector.

FIFA president Joseph S. Blatter was re-elected for a third term yesterday after standing unopposed at the organisation's 57th annual congress. Blatter reiterated his stance that the 2010 World Cup would definitely be hosted by South Africa despite constant speculation that the country may not be ready.

ESPN-Star Sports acquired the broadcast rights for cricket’s Afro-Asia Cup after Nimbus pullled out of the deal. Nimbus meanwhile acquired the rights for the India-South Africa ODI series.

Australia could avoid paying compensation to the Zimbabwe Cricket Union if the Australian federal government bans the Australian team from touring there later this year.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter says a string of countries are lined up to take over the hosting of the 2010 World Cup should South Africa be unable to fulfil their commitments.