World Cup Drives New Growth in Tanzania’s Digital Sports Audience

The number of active paid television decoders increased from 2.09 million in March to 2.26 million in June, a rise of 8.18 percent, according to the Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority.

The increase comes at a time when football audiences are no longer tied to a single screen. Television remains central for live matches, but smartphones are increasingly used for scores, team news, statistics and other football services. Users who prefer an app can also download 1xBet rather than access the service through a mobile browser, reflecting the wider shift towards phones as a second screen during major sporting events.

The latest figures reverse a decline that had been under way since September 2025. Active pay-TV subscriptions stood at about 2.3 million at that point before falling to 2.09 million by March this year. The World Cup, which ran from June 11 to July 19 in the United States, Canada and Mexico, helped change that trend as viewers looked for reliable access to live matches.

Communications, Information and Technology Minister Angela Kairuki linked the renewed growth directly to demand created by the tournament. Major international competitions remain capable of pulling viewers back towards paid television even as internet-based entertainment takes a larger share of their time.

The strongest growth was recorded in direct-to-home television services. TCRA Director General Peter Mwasalyanda said DTH continued to expand while digital terrestrial television remained largely unchanged. He pointed to lower rollout costs, broader coverage and changes in available services as factors behind the difference.

That pattern is significant for Tanzania’s broadcasters. The market is becoming more fragmented, but it is not simply moving from television to mobile. Instead, major sporting events are showing that the two can grow alongside each other. A match may still be watched on the largest screen in the house while much of the surrounding activity takes place on a phone.

The question for operators is whether the World Cup increase can be sustained now that the tournament has ended. Football provided a clear short-term boost, but viewing habits are continuing to change as smartphones and internet platforms take a larger role in news, sport and entertainment.

For Tanzania’s television companies, the June figures offer some evidence that live sport can still bring subscribers back. The longer-term test will be whether broadcasters can keep those viewers when there is no World Cup on the schedule.