MUMBAI: The television broadcast and digital streaming rights for the third edition of the Hero Super Cup 2023 and the Hero Club playoffs for AFC tournaments in 2023-24 have been picked up by Sony Pictures Networks India and FanCode respectively.
The broadcaster will showcase the tournaments in the Indian subcontinent, including India, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, Maldives, Pakistan & Sri Lanka. As part of the deal, Sony Sports Network will televise 27 matches of the Hero Super Cup 2023 including group stage, semifinals, and finals along with 3 matches of the Hero Club Playoffs on its channels Sony Sports Ten 2 & Sony Sports Ten 2 HD.
In the case of FanCode, live football streaming kicks off with the first Hero Club Playoffs being played on Tuesday, April 4, while the Hero Super Cup will be livestreamed from group stage onwards, starting April 8.
The Hero Super Cup is one of India’s biggest football competitions and features teams from both the Hero Indian Super League and the Hero I-League.
The digital broadcast of the Hero Super Cup on FanCode is co-presented by Piramal Finance.
As far as Hero Club Playoffs for AFC Competitions are concerned, India has been allocated three slots — one in the AFC Champions League Group Stage, one in the AFC Cup Group Stage, and one slot for the AFC Cup Qualifiers.
On April 4, the winners of the Hero Indian Super League Shield 2021-22 (Jamshedpur FC) and winners of the same in the 2022-23 season (Mumbai City FC) play a one-off match to determine who qualifies for AFC Champions League 2023-24 Group Stage.
The games for the other two slots will depend on results from other competitions, but if required, they will be played on April 29 and May 3 respectively.
The Super Cup was first held in 2018 and is organized by the All India Football Federation (AIFF). Bengaluru FC and FC Goa are the only clubs to have won the Super Cup so far, with Bengaluru FC winning the inaugural edition in 2018 and FC Goa winning the 2019 edition. The tournament is scheduled to be held from April 8 to April 25, and will be played in a single round-robin format.
With the acquisition of these broadcast rights, Sony Sports Network will provide comprehensive coverage of both events, bringing the action to millions of viewers across the Indian subcontinent. The coverage will include live and exclusive telecasts of all matches, as well as expert analysis and commentary.
