A year of sporting triumphs for SuperSport and Showmax Premier

2025 has cemented its place in history as a phenomenal sporting year, characterised by monumental milestones, broken records, and a thrilling surge in audience engagement.

Across major local and international events, the appetite for high-stakes competition has never been greater, and SuperSport — Your World of Champions — has been at the heart of delivering every unforgettable moment.

The incredible performance across all platforms is a powerful testament to the deepening connection between the content and its passionate audience.

From the thunderous roar of the Soweto Derby to the inspiring rise of women’s sport, the viewing public has tuned in its masses, creating a truly record-shattering year.

SUPERSPORT'S UNPRECENDTED FOOTBALL DOMINANCE

The beautiful game has once again proven its title as the sport that unites the nation, with SuperSport’s coverage of both local and international leagues achieving historic peaks.

THE HISTORIC SOWETO DERBY: A NEW BENCHMARK FOR LOCAL RIVALRY 

The fierce rivalry between Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs is a national institution, and the latest clash in February 2025 set a new all-time record for the country's biggest fixture on SuperSport.

The electrifying 2024/25 Betway Premiership season derby saw an upward viewership trend that surpassed all previous benchmarks for the fixture.

This blockbuster event delivered a massive 28 per cent increase in live SuperSport viewership compared to the last derby of the prior season, a clear signal of the soaring intrigue in the Betway Premiership.

INTERNATIONAL FOOTBALL SEES DRAMATIC AUDIENCE

While local football remains the national heartbeat, SuperSport's international offering also saw significant upward growth trajectories as fans flocked to see global giants battle it out.

LaLiga emerged as the clear growth story of the season, recording a robust surge in unique audience and an exponential jump in total consumption—a remarkable 133 per cent increase.

The May El Clásico between Barcelona and Real Madrid was a key driver, drawing the season's largest local football audience.

The UEFA Champions League also experienced a significant 35 per cent growth in unique audience, with the dramatic semifinal clashes and the thrilling final capturing the nation’s attention.

Serie A found a dedicated audience this season, with average live audience per game increasing by 17 per cent and live consumption growing by 20 per cent, showcasing the deepening appreciation for diverse European action.

The Premier League continued its dominance, with titanic clashes like Liverpool v Manchester City consistently pulling in massive live audiences.

STORYTELLING THAT CUTS THROUGH: GIANTS DOCUSERIES

It wasn’t just live sport that got the pulses racing and contributing to high number of viewers. Unique and authentic local storytelling content is also hitting historic highs.

Makhehleni Makhaula's story is inspirational.

In episode 5 of Giants, he takes us on a journey of rediscovery and explains how he joined Pirates.

📺 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐢𝐭 𝐨𝐧 𝐂𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐔𝐩#GiantsonDStv pic.twitter.com/8Y9JXrqDWT — SuperSport Football ⚽️ (@SSFootball) August 25, 2025

The five-part SuperSport docuseries, GIANTS, chronicling the lives and careers of players from African Giants, Orlando Pirates, set a new benchmark for long-form African sports narratives.

The series demonstrated an immense and growing appetite for authentic African stories, generating impressive unique reach and deep, sustained viewing.

Critically, GIANTS achieved the highest total minutes consumed compared to many other notable sports magazine shows and documentaries, showcasing exceptional viewer loyalty.

GIANTS reached a huge number of unique viewers across all SuperSport broadcasts, outperforming all other top sports documentaries and magazine shows on the platform.

This surge in viewership underscores the power of compelling local narratives to generate strong audience enthusiasm.

THE UNSTOPPABLE RISE OF WOMEN'S SPORT ON SUPERSPORT 

SuperSport's commitment to women’s sport through the #HereforHer campaign has been met with a powerful, supportive response from the audience.

Congratulations to the host nation, India, on winning their first ICC Women's Cricket World Cup.

Our Proteas Women showed their #Unbreakable spirit throughout the tournament and your unwavering support carried them every step of the way. 💪

Tomorrow, we rise and go again.… pic.twitter.com/L5VKrhWm3K — Proteas Women (@ProteasWomenCSA) November 2, 2025

WOMEN'S RUGBY WORLD CUP

The Springbok Women’s historic first-ever Rugby World Cup quarterfinal was a milestone television event.

The four Women's Rugby World Cup matches became the four most-watched Springbok Women’s games ever, with the quarterfinal clash drawing nearly half a million live viewers.

This clear signal of rising interest saw average audiences significantly up Year-on-Year (YoY), reflecting a broader movement in support of the women's game.

Women’s ICC CRICKET WORLD CUP

Group phase matches for the national women’s cricket side consistently drew massive average live audiences, with the Proteas' victory against Pakistan ranking as the most-watched game of the phase, confirming strong fan engagement.

AFRICAN AND EUROPEAN FOOTBALL:

The viewership for the Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) doubled compared to the 2022 tournament, while the Women's Euros also saw a drastic increase in viewership versus its 2022 iteration. This explosive growth across both continents highlights a powerful global trend that SuperSport viewers are eagerly embracing.

SHOWMAX PREMIER LEAGUE: DIGITAL STREAMING VIEWERSHIP WINS 

This year has cemented the Showmax Premier League's position as the definitive streaming destination for football fans, proving that marquee live sport is a critical engine for streaming success.

Showmax Premier League’s Top 2 spots for the year's most-watched Premier League matches were driven by two massive rivalry clashes: the intense Liverpool v Manchester United match on 5 January, which ended in a thrilling 2-2 draw at Anfield after United came back twice to equalise with goals from Lisandro Martínez and Amad Diallo.

The second was the blockbuster Manchester Derby (City v United) on September 14th, where Manchester City secured a decisive 3-0 victory at the Etihad Stadium, fuelled by two goals from Erling Haaland and an opener from Phil Foden.

The immense engagement during these iconic, high-stakes rivalry matches underscores the massive consumer appetite for premium live content delivered seamlessly on mobile devices, confirming Showmax’s winning strategy in capturing the heart of the digital sports audience.