French Media Giant Canal+ has Finalized its Acquisition of South Africa’s Multichoice, the owners of DSTV and GOtv

French media giant Canal+ has finalized its acquisition of MultiChoice Group, Africa’s leading pay-TV operator and owner of DStv, GOtv, SuperSport, and Showmax. The landmark deal, worth 35 billion rand (US$2.02 billion), officially became unconditional on September 22, 2025, following months of regulatory approvals and shareholder agreements.

Canal+ announced that as of September 19 it directly controls 46% of MultiChoice shares, alongside an additional 2.2% acquired through tenders, effectively giving it full ownership of the Johannesburg-based broadcaster. The acquisition is set to be fully completed by October 8, 2025.

The deal received final clearance in July 2025, when South Africa’s Competition Tribunal gave approval after an earlier conditional greenlight by the Competition Commission in May. Regulators had imposed strict requirements to safeguard national interests, including maintaining and expanding locally produced entertainment and sports content, supporting historically disadvantaged persons (HDPs) and small and medium enterprises (SMMEs) within the broadcasting sector, ensuring certain MultiChoice broadcasting licences remain majority South African-owned, in line with local ownership rules.

To comply, MultiChoice restructured parts of its South African operations before the deal was finalized.

Under the terms of the takeover, Canal+ offered R125 per share in cash for all outstanding ordinary shares of MultiChoice. Prior to the full buyout, the French broadcaster already held 45.2% of the company, making it the largest single shareholder.

The acquisition is one of the biggest in African media history, consolidating Canal+’s dominance across the continent. While Canal+ has long enjoyed a strong presence in Francophone Africa, the MultiChoice takeover dramatically expands its footprint into English- and Portuguese-speaking markets, giving it unrivalled scale for pay-TV and streaming services.

MultiChoice, with its flagship platforms DStv, GOtv, and Showmax, along with sports powerhouse SuperSport, is the largest content provider in Africa. Canal+’s takeover is expected to enhance content offerings and production while boosting competition with global streaming giants.

Both companies have reassured subscribers that the acquisition will not disrupt existing services. Instead, the deal is expected to bring more localized content, stronger sports coverage, and expanded distribution across Africa.