Expansion of Bundesliga Pass Africa is a new move, as German football makes a greater impression in digital markets in sub-Saharan markets. It is launched in South Africa in 2025 and is currently offered in Kenya and soon expected to be launched in Nigeria.
Bundesliga direct-to-consumer platform enables the fans to stream all top-tier Bundesliga matches and games in the second-level tournament. The migration is an indication of increased interest in mobile streaming within African markets.
The Bundesliga collaborated with the key telecommunication companies to facilitate the implementation. In South Africa, Vodacom will sell the service, Safaricom in Kenya, and MTN in Nigeria. The service is also offered as a paid add-on by OneFootball to its fans.
The league officials are of the opinion that mobile technology will determine the future of football viewing in Africa. The increasing smart phone applications and the growing internet coverage via devices such as smartphones are rendering digital services more convenient. This opens up new avenues of relationship between the leagues and supporters.
The first test market was South Africa. Good fan interactions promoted further growth of Bundesliga. Kenya and Nigeria were selected because they have huge following of football and also have good mobile networks.
The expansion also indicates the change in the media options of the European leagues. Rather than going directly to broadcasters, the leagues are seeking to establish a direct relationship with the fans.
To the African fans, the Bundesliga Pass will provide less trouble to access to live matches and league information. This may assist in increasing the popularity of the league in the region. The project will be a long-term plan to expand football fans in the developing markets via the digital platform.
