[FILES] FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022
Football lovers in Nigeria and sub-Saharan Africa have been assured of full coverage at Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup, as Showmax Pro has promised to broadcast all 64 matches live.
The coverage, courtesy of SuperSport, will be streamed in 4K to its subscribers across sub-Saharan Africa, a first for Africa’s homegrown streaming service.
Reigning world champions, France, will be defending their title at the FIFA World Cup Qatar, taking place from November 20, 2022 to December 18.
This is the first time the FIFA World Cup will be hosted in the Arab world. Cameroon, Ghana, Morocco, Senegal and Tunisia will be representing Africa.
Speaking on what to expect, the Chief Executive Officer of Connected Video at MultiChoice, Yolisa Phahle, said: “We built Showmax Pro with our football-loving continent in mind. We became the first streaming service in Africa to make mobile downloads possible for offline viewing and created the lowest data streaming option on the continent.
“Now we are gearing up for the world’s greatest sports spectacle, which deserves to be seen in the best quality possible, so we’re delighted to introduce 4K for the first time during the FIFA World Cup Qatar. The 4K stream will have up to 50 frames per second (fps), double the standard 25fps we currently offer,” Phahle stated.
The ultra-high-definition screen resolution that comes with 4K is 3840 by 2160 pixels. Most 4K devices have around 8 million pixels, meaning every moment of every match will be displayed in brilliant detail.
According to Phahle, African viewers can, of course, choose the data streaming option that best suits them, in addition to the new 4K and High Definition (HD) options, there are Low, Data Saving and Max Data Saving modes that use just 300MB, 100MB and 50MB per hour respectively.
“There are 39 days to go until the FIFA World Cup Qatar. The Showmax Pro plan allows subscribers to register up to five devices – including smart TVs, media boxes and mobile devices – and stream simultaneously on two devices at the same time. Showmax Pro also offers a mobile-only plan that allows viewers to stream on a single mobile device.
“One of the key differences when live-streaming sports versus watching a dedicated television channel is how you consume matches. Rather than tuning into a specific channel, on Showmax Pro you can select specific matches and set reminders to watch. Highlights will be available to stream on-demand if you miss a game.”