Canal+ is launching Sport+, a free, advertising-supported sports service available through its existing streaming application from Friday, 9 October.
The new offering will be accessible to both Canal+ subscribers and non-subscribers, marking a further expansion of the French pay-TV group’s strategy beyond subscription-based content.
According to Le Figaro, Sport+ will be integrated directly into the Canal+ app, which already brings together the broadcaster’s premium channels and content from third-party services.
Users will be able to access the service free of charge after registering, with advertising providing its principal source of revenue.
Designed particularly for mobile viewing, Sport+ will feature a feed of vertical sports videos, reflecting the growing popularity of short-form content on social media platforms.
Thomas Sénécal, Director of Sports at Canal+, said the new offering would appeal to audiences regardless of whether they subscribe to the group’s paid services.
“Sport+ will be the only app on the market offering so much content with sports rights. It’s aimed at all audiences, whether they’re subscribers or not,” he told Le Figaro.
Églantine Leclabart, Global Marketing Director for Canal+ PayTV, said the company was responding to demand from sports fans for a more comprehensive digital offering.
The launch also revives the Sport+ name, previously used by Canal+ for a dedicated sports television channel that closed in 2015.
The new service forms part of Canal+’s broader effort to position its application as a destination for both subscription and free content.
By introducing an advertising-funded sports offering, Canal+ will be able to reach audiences outside its traditional subscriber base while creating additional opportunities for advertisers.
The move also brings the broadcaster into closer competition with social media platforms and digital sports publishers, particularly in the market for mobile-first sports content.
Source: https://www.broadbandtvnews.com/2026/10/08/canal-launches-free-ad-supported-sport-platform/
