The Canal+ Takeover: A New Era for DStv

The South African television landscape is undergoing a massive transformation in 2026. Following the acquisition of MultiChoice by French broadcasting giant Canal+, DStv is shifting its core business strategy.

Instead of focusing on general entertainment, Canal+ is doubling down on live sports to keep subscribers from moving to cheaper streaming services. This new business model led to the controversial decision to shut down Showmax as a standalone service in April 2026.

Showmax’s original content has now been migrated to a dedicated tab inside the DStv Stream app. While DStv Premium users still get this content for free, subscribers on Compact and Compact Plus are seeing changes to their access.

Massive Sports Rights Secured for South Africans

If you are a sports fan, the Canal+ takeover brings excellent news. The broadcaster has made it clear that premium sports are the primary reason people keep paying for DStv.

To defend its market share, Canal+ has successfully secured several massive broadcasting deals:

• Rugby World Cups: SuperSport will exclusively broadcast the 2027 Men’s Rugby World Cup and the 2029 Women’s Rugby World Cup across Sub-Saharan Africa.
• United Rugby Championship (URC): A multi-year renewal ensures that SuperSport remains the exclusive home of the Vodacom URC.
• South African Football: SuperSport extended its deal with the Premier Soccer League (PSL), keeping the Betway Premiership, MTN8, and Nedbank Cup on DStv.

Will Grassroots Rugby Survive?

While Springbok matches and major international tournaments are safe, there are growing concerns about local grassroots rugby.

Canal+ is actively scaling back expenses, and programming decisions will now be made in France rather than South Africa. This means smaller, local competitions like the lower divisions of the Currie Cup, Varsity Shield, and SuperSport Schools matches might lose their TV coverage.

Because Canal+ focuses heavily on return on investment (ROI), matches that do not draw massive audiences could be cut from the broadcast schedule.

Big Changes to DStv Packages in 2026

Canal+ has recognized that DStv’s previous package offerings were too complex for consumers. As a result, the broadcaster is reshaping its packages to focus heavily on the mass market.

Entry-level and mid-tier subscribers are the biggest winners this year. For example, DStv Access users recently gained popular channels like WWE, Trace Ngoma, and Trace Gospel.

The most exciting update is that all packages—including the R150/month Access plan—will broadcast all 104 matches of the 2026 FIFA World Cup live. Previously, viewers needed at least the Compact package to watch the entire tournament.

2026 DStv Pricing Breakdown

To help you choose the right plan for your budget, here is a quick look at the updated 2026 monthly prices for satellite decoders:

• DStv Premium (R979/month): Includes 135+ channels, all live sports, and Showmax content. Surprisingly, this top-tier package has received zero new value additions in 2026.
• DStv Compact Plus (R659/month): Offers 115+ channels, including the majority of live sports and premium entertainment.
• DStv Compact (R479/month): Includes 100+ channels and strikes a good balance for families, though it lacks premium live sports.
• DStv Family (R339/month): Offers 75+ channels, focusing on kids’ programming and local content without dedicated live sports.
• DStv Access (R150/month): The entry-level package with 45+ channels, which now includes the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Note: Streaming-only subscriptions are significantly cheaper than satellite options, with Access streaming starting at just R99 per month.