The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) has apologised to football supporters after technical problems disrupted coverage of Orlando Pirates’ CAF Champions League match against African Stars on Saturday, October 17, 2026.

The match was played at the Botswana National Stadium, where Pirates secured a narrow 1-0 victory over the Namibian side in the first leg of their second preliminary-round tie.

Despite the match being advertised for broadcast on SABC platforms, many South African supporters were unable to watch the entire encounter because of technical difficulties. The disruption left fans relying on updates from social media to follow the progress of the game.

In response to the problem, the broadcaster reportedly acknowledged the disruption and stated: “Our technicians are working on it.” The apology came after supporters were left frustrated by their inability to follow the match as expected.

The broadcast interruption was disappointing for fans who had anticipated watching the Buccaneers compete in an important continental fixture. With Pirates aiming to secure a place in the CAF Champions League group stages, supporters were eager to follow every moment of the encounter.

On the pitch, Pirates eventually gave their fans something to celebrate. After a competitive contest, Tshepang Moremi scored in the 75th minute to hand the South African side a 1-0 victory.

The goal proved decisive, giving Pirates an advantage ahead of the return leg. The team will now look to complete the job in front of its home supporters and secure progression to the group stages.

However, the result did not erase the frustration caused by the broadcast problems. For many supporters, watching their team live is an important part of following the club, especially during matches played outside South Africa.

The incident has once again highlighted the importance of reliable broadcasting when local football supporters are promised live coverage of major matches.

Although the technical team was reportedly working to address the issue, fans will be hoping that similar problems can be avoided in future broadcasts.

For Orlando Pirates, attention now turns to the second leg, where they will aim to protect their advantage and move closer to the CAF Champions League group stages.

For the SABC, the focus will be on resolving the technical issues and ensuring that supporters can enjoy the coverage they expect when the Buccaneers return to continental action.

Source; https://www.facebook.com/100063605272742/posts/1761588119304680/?app=fbl