Watching Sport in South Africa
South Africa is one of the most concentrated sports markets anywhere. One group, MultiChoice, runs the satellite platform and the streaming service, and between them they hold the Premier League, the Champions League, Formula 1, MotoGP and most of the rugby and cricket. The good news is that the football has been split off from the rest of the bundle at a much lower price, and that is by far the most useful thing to know here.
Something you may have read about, which we could not confirm.
From 17 September 2026 DStv was reported to be converting its Compact
streaming package into a dedicated "DStv Sport" tier
at roughly US$24.93 a month, carrying SuperSport's Premier League and UEFA
coverage, the PSL, international cricket, local rugby, one URC match a week and
UFC — but excluding Formula 1, MotoGP, Springbok rugby, golf and ATP
tennis. MultiChoice declined to confirm the leak, so treat the tier, its price
and its contents as unconfirmed. The DStv prices further down
this page were themselves raised during 2026.
What you can watch free in South Africa
This is the short section, and it is worth being blunt about it: there is no free-to-air route to the Premier League or to South African league football.
- SABC — the public broadcaster is free-to-air and does carry selected national-team and major sport. We could not verify which 2026 rights it holds, so do not build a viewing plan around a specific competition.
- eMedia and Openview — the free satellite platform carries some sport on e.tv and the Openview channels. Again, the specific 2026 rights are unverified.
The honest summary: free sport in South Africa exists, but it is opportunistic. Springbok and Bafana matches turn up on SABC from time to time, and there is no published, stable list you can rely on. Everything with a weekly rhythm — the Premier League, the PSL, F1 — sits behind a subscription.
The main services, and what they cost
| Service | Carries | Price per month |
|---|---|---|
| DStv Premium | Everything the Sports package has, plus the premium exclusives. Streaming through DStv Stream, or a decoder | R799 streaming, R979 decoder |
| DStv Sports | 17 dedicated sport channels and every Premier League and PSL match. The value tier for sport | R399 streaming, R479 decoder |
| DStv Select | SuperSport PSL and Serie A, plus Mzansi Magic and general entertainment | R299 streaming, R339 decoder |
| DStv Starter | Selected Premier League matches through SuperSport KICKOFF, and two PSL matches a week | R99 streaming, R150 decoder |
| DStv Compact Plus and Compact | Both were retired for new customers on 17 September 2026 and their sport moved into the Sports package. Existing subscribers keep them; new ones cannot sign up | R659 and R479 (existing subscribers only) |
| DStv EasyView | No SuperSport at all | R29 |
| Showmax | Shut down on 30 April 2026. Its content moved to DStv Stream. Any guide still selling you a Showmax Premier League plan is out of date | — |
| DAZN | The global tier only: boxing, NFL Game Pass, NHL.tv, LaLiga, Bundesliga, Jupiler Pro League, FIFA+, college sport. No South African domestic football | Not published where we could read it |
| SABC and Openview | Free-to-air sport, specifics unverified | Free |
Who shows what
| Competition | Where it is |
|---|---|
| Premier League | SuperSport on DStv. The Sports package carries every match; Starter gets selected matches only |
| Betway Premiership (PSL) | SuperSport. Every match is on the Sports package; Select carries SuperSport PSL |
| Champions League | SuperSport — in practice the top DStv tiers |
| LaLiga | SuperSport, plus DAZN across sub-Saharan Africa on a three-season deal from August 2026 |
| Serie A | SuperSport |
| Formula 1 and MotoGP | SuperSport, top tiers only |
| Rugby and cricket | SuperSport. The same rule applies: the top tiers carry it, the cheaper ones do not |
One detail worth pausing on, because it is the most common mistake people make with DStv: buying a cheaper tier and expecting the sport anyway. Only Premium carries every SuperSport channel. Family gets a single highlights channel and Access gets nothing at all.
The cheapest legal routes
- Premier League and PSL only? The DStv Stream Sports package at R399 — 17 sport channels, every Premier League and PSL match, and far below Premium at R979.
- Want F1, MotoGP, golf or the tennis slams as well? You are pushed up to DStv Premium. That is the honest answer, and no cheaper tier substitutes for it.
- Just the PSL and Serie A? Select at R299 carries SuperSport PSL, but not the full Premier League.
- Free, but not dependable: SABC and Openview. Worth checking for a national-team match; not a route to a league season.
- No free trials. We could confirm none for DStv, so there is no cheap way to test a season pass.
The market was reorganised on 17 September 2026, and Showmax is gone. MultiChoice replaced Compact and Compact Plus for new customers and moved their sport into a new Sports package at R399 on DStv Stream. Showmax shut down on 30 April 2026 and its content moved to DStv Stream. If you find a guide quoting a Showmax Premier League plan at R99, it is repeating a price that no longer exists.
What is the cheapest way to watch the Premier League in South Africa?
The DStv Stream Sports package at R399 a month, which carries every Premier League and PSL match on 17 dedicated sport channels. It replaced the old Compact tiers for new customers on 17 September 2026. DStv Premium, which adds the premium exclusives, is R799 on DStv Stream or R979 on a decoder.
Is Showmax still an option?
No. Showmax shut down on 30 April 2026 and its content moved to DStv Stream. Its Premier League plans, which used to be the cheapest route at about R99, no longer exist.
Do I get all the sport on a cheaper DStv tier?
No, and this is the most common mistake with DStv. The Sports package carries the full range of live football, but F1, MotoGP, golf majors and the tennis slams sit on Premium. Select has SuperSport PSL and Serie A, Starter has selected Premier League matches only, and EasyView has no SuperSport at all.
Is there a free way to watch sport in South Africa?
SABC and the Openview platform are free-to-air and do carry some sport, but we could not verify which 2026 rights they hold. There is no free route to the Premier League or to South African league football.
Is DAZN available in South Africa?
Yes, but only its global tier: boxing, NFL Game Pass, NHL.tv, LaLiga, Bundesliga and Jupiler Pro League. It carries no South African domestic football. DAZN does hold LaLiga rights across sub-Saharan Africa on a three-season deal from August 2026, which makes it a new entrant to watch.
What is the DStv Sport package?
A dedicated streaming sports tier was reported for 17 September 2026, converted from the Compact streaming package at roughly US$24.93 a month, with Premier League and UEFA football, the PSL, cricket, local rugby and UFC, but not Formula 1, MotoGP or Springbok rugby. MultiChoice declined to confirm it, so treat the whole thing as unconfirmed.
Where to go next
Premier League coverage worldwide Free live streams DAZN by country Watching sport in the UAE and Gulf