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How the World Cup Boosted Canal+ Results
Canal+ Group's first-half 2026 results were significantly boosted by its recent $2 billion acquisition of Africa's MultiChoice Group, with the FIFA World Cup helping drive strong subscriber growth at the pay-TV giant's South African operations. CEO Maxime Saada said the increased scale from the deal was already delivering expected benefits, with the company having achieved half of its €250 million synergies target and remaining on track to meet full-year and medium-term guidance.
Canal+ reported that subscriber acquisition in MultiChoice countries rose 40% compared with the first half of 2025, with June marking the best subscriber acquisition month in South Africa in a decade, aided by a World Cup advertising campaign fronted by Idris Elba and the launch of the Novelas+ channel. Total group revenue jumped 40% to €4.29 billion ($4.88 billion), largely thanks to the MultiChoice takeover, though underlying growth excluding the deal was 1.4%; adjusted EBIT rose 68% overall, or 13% excluding MultiChoice. StudioCanal, the group's production arm, also had a strong six months, with box-office hits including Guru and Pressure, and Saada pointed to an upcoming slate featuring Paddington 4, a remake of Escape From New York, and Danny Boyle's Ink.
In short
- Canal+ first-half results boosted by MultiChoice acquisition and World Cup
- South African subscriber acquisition rose 40%, best June in a decade
- Group revenue up 40% to €4.29bn; StudioCanal also performed strongly
Explained simply
Canal+ Group is a major European pay-television company that operates entertainment and sports channels across the continent. In 2024, it acquired MultiChoice Group, Africa's largest pay-TV operator, for $2 billion—a deal that significantly expanded its operations into emerging African markets.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup helped drive subscriber growth for the combined company, particularly in South Africa. The tournament generated interest in pay-TV services, and Canal+ capitalised on this through promotional campaigns and new programming that achieved record monthly subscriber additions.
The acquisition appears to be delivering the financial benefits Canal+ predicted. The company has made progress on cost savings from combining operations and increased overall revenue, suggesting the expanded group is functioning as planned.
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