Sky, BBC secure rights to Africa Cup of Nations

By Neil Wilkes, Editor-in-chief | 15 December 2021

Sky and the BBC are to broadcast coverage of the Africa Cup of Nations, which gets underway in Cameroon next month.

Sky and the BBC have secured the UK rights to the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations.

Delayed due to coronavirus, the 2021 tournament will take place in January and February in Cameroon, with the likes of Mohamed Salah, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Sadio Mane and Edouard Mendy among the top names expected to feature.

Under the broadcast deal, Sky Sports will show all 52 games from the tournament, while the BBC will screen 10 matches, including two of the quarter-finals, both semi-finals and the final.

Gary Hughes, Sky Sports' director of football, said: "For football fans who love to watch the best players in the world such as Mohammed Salah, Sadio Mane and Riyad Mahrez, this is excellent news.

"We're delighted to be adding this fantastic competition to our ever-expanding football offering in the UK & Ireland which already includes Premier League, EFL, Scottish Premiership and FA Women's Super League as well as international action in the form of World Cup Qualifiers, placing Sky Sports as the home of live football."

BBC director of sport Barbara Slater added: "We're thrilled to be bringing such a prestigious event free-to-air for UK audiences.

"The African Cup of Nations launches a huge year of international football and I know fans will look forward to following all the action from the competition across BBC platforms."

The first game takes place on January 9, when hosts and five-time winners Cameroon face 2013 runners-up Burkina Faso.

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