BBC World Service grabs football rights

BBC World Service has agreed a deal to air commentary from Premier League matches in four languages to listeners throughout sub-Saharan Africa.

The three-year deal, which runs until May 2014, will enable the BBC's key African multi-media services - BBC Afrique (French), BBC Hausa, BBC Para Africa (Portuguese) and BBC Somali - to broadcast live commentary of Premier League weekend games.

World Service's Premier League coverage will be available in over 40 African countries, including Cameroon, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Kenya and Uganda.

The agreement also extends BBC Swahili's existing commentary rights deal, which has seen the service air live commentary of Saturday afternoon Premier League games since 2004. BBC Swahili will now cover Sunday matches as well.

"This exciting new agreement follows on from our World Cup broadcasts in English and Swahili, when we received an overwhelming response from African football fans," said Isa Abba Adamu, BBC World Service Africa region executive editor.

"Thanks to this commentary rights agreement, BBC World Service will be bringing England's Premier League football to a combined weekly audience of 80 million, making them part of the excitement, the drama and the suspense of the English football."

Premier League head of international broadcasting and media operations Paul Molnar said: "Africa has provided many great players for the Premier League, and we are pleased to extend the accessibility of the league through the local language radio services of BBC World Service broadcasting to this region."

BBC Swahili senior sports producer Alex Mureithi added: "Over six years since we started them, Saturday live commentaries on BBC Swahili have become a not-to-be-missed experience for soccer fans all over East and Central Africa.

"The success of the Premier League commentaries led to this year's live coverage of World Cup matches in South Africa - first time ever for live commentaries of World Cup matches in Swahili. The addition of Sunday matches is in response to growing demands from the fans. We are looking forward to covering all the top weekend action."