The SABC confirmed on Tuesday that it will begin broadcasting live English Premier League games on SABC3 every Saturday.

The national broadcaster made the announcement on Tuesday and also revealed that the broadcast would include buildup and review magazine programmes, as well as one live match every Saturday at 4pm.

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Previously, South Africans we forced to subscribe to pay channel SuperSport to catch the action of the world’s biggest football league.

The coverage starts this weekend, with the London derby between Arsenal and West Ham at the Emirates on Saturday at 4pm.

‘SABC3 is going to provide South Africans who love sports and in particular, soccer, the opportunity to access some of the greatest teams in the world in one of the biggest leagues globally for free,’ said David Makubyane, the general manager of TV channels at the public broadcaster.

‘The Premier League has a strong brand equity that we believe will contribute towards the building of the SABC3 brand.’

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In addition to the matches, viewers will be able to enjoy a Premier League Preview Show at 3pm, which will be followed by a live studio buildup at 3:30pm before the match.

There will also be a review show on Tuesday evenings at 11:30pm, where all the highlights and goals from the Premier League will be shown.

‘Football is a sport that connects the world. It enjoys a broad and diverse fan base that transcends race, social standing and borders. SABC is proud to introduce this universal sport to all South Africans,’ said Renee Williams, the acting group executive for the sports section of the public broadcaster.

‘We are happy to bring two of the world’s best football leagues to our audiences on Saturday afternoons, with our local league, the PSL on SABC1 and the Premier League on SABC3. With this much-anticipated offering, SABC reaffirms its position as the leading public broadcaster on the continent,’ she concluded.

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