South Africans watching the first 2026 FIFA World Cup match via SABC\u2019s channels on Thursday, 11 June, experienced a major disruption just before kick-off. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) apologised for the disruption, explaining that it was caused by a content encryption update that required users to log in to their profiles again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“The SABC acknowledges the disruption experienced by SABC+ users last night during the FIFA World Cup match between South Africa and Mexico,” said the broadcasting group.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“The SABC apologises to the viewers who were inconvenienced by this outage,” said the SABC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The SABC said the content encryption update had to be implemented on the SABC+ platform, which it said is standard for broadcasting major international sporting events.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This update required resetting the platform\u2019s functionality, so some users needed to log in again. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Shortly before kick-off, a high volume of users attempted to log in and verify access simultaneously, which the broadcaster said placed unprecedented strain on the system. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This resulted in system instability and a second reset before the platform was stabilised.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“SABC+ gradually stabilised approximately ten minutes before halftime. We recognise that the app update notice issued shortly before kick-off added to viewer frustration, and we acknowledge that the timing of this communication fell short of what our viewers deserve,” said the SABC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The broadcasting group said that technical teams had conducted a full review of the incident and are implementing measures to strengthen platform capacity and login infrastructure ahead of upcoming matches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It also said that its teams were reviewing internal communication protocols to ensure viewers are notified of any necessary updates with appropriate lead time. The group said the demand was unprecedented.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
SABC+ achieved a peak concurrency of 477,000 simultaneous users, nearly three times its previous record. There were 18 million attempted logins and a total of 2.4 million viewers by the end of the match.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The group said that the high demand highlights the significant role SABC+ plays for South Africans, providing \u201cfree and universal access\u201d to major national events like the FIFA World Cup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The SABC said it remains committed to ensuring that all South Africans have reliable access to SABC+ during the FIFA World Cup and appreciates viewers’ patience and ongoing support.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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