Coverage kicks off with the NFL Kickoff Game, set to air early on Thursday, Sept. 10 — (1:20 a.m. WAT, 2:20 a.m. CAT and SAST, and 3:20 a.m. EAT) — featuring the Seattle Seahawks taking on the New England Patriots in a repeat of Super Bowl LX. Regular season games will be broadcast weekly, allowing viewers to watch live matches during both Sunday afternoon slots, followed by Sunday Night Football. Additionally, there will be primetime airings for Monday Night Football and Thursday Night Football throughout the week.
ESPN will provide comprehensive coverage of the postseason, culminating with Super Bowl LXI at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, airing live in the early hours of Monday, Feb. 15 — (2:30 a.m. WAT, 1:30 a.m. CAT and SAST, and 2:30 a.m. EAT).
“The NFL is growing fast across Africa — not only in the size of the fanbase, but in the number of players from the continent that fans can now watch and call their own,” said Laura Louisy, NFL senior director of international business development and media, “and ESPN gives those fans a consistent home for the game every week, from the Kickoff Game through to the Super Bowl.”
“The NFL is a major global sports brand with an incredibly strong heritage and growing connections to the continent,” commented Kyle De Klerk, Director: Sports for The Walt Disney Company Africa. “ESPN has a storied, decades-long history with the NFL, and we are proud to build on that legacy by bringing this year’s season to sports fans, building on our quality global programming featuring the best of American and international sports to audiences across Africa.”
ESPN’s programming complements the NFL’s broader initiatives in Africa, including the NFL Academy, the expansion of flag football, and the increasing presence of players of African descent in the league. Join the NFL Africa community on Instagram and X for exclusive content, highlights and breaking news.
