LUSAKA – TopStar Communications Company Limited has broken its silence following the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ)’s 72-hour ultimatum to the Zambian Premier League (ZPL) over the ongoing MTN Super League broadcasting standoff.
FAZ president Keith Mweemba recently expressed deep disappointment at the failure to air league matches since Week 12, urging the ZPL to urgently resolve the impasse with TopStar or risk legal consequences.
In a press statement issued on March 2, TopStar sought to “set the record straight” regarding its role in the non-broadcast of matches.
“While we appreciate the concerns raised, it is also important that TopStar responds to ensure that every party mentioned is aware of the issues that may have caused the alleged stand-off,” the broadcaster said.
Production Rights at the Centre of Dispute
At the heart of the matter is the five-year broadcasting agreement signed in August last year between the ZPL and TopStar, valued at US$5 million (US$1 million per season).
TopStar clarified that under the terms of the agreement, production responsibilities do not lie with the broadcaster.
“In the contract between Zambian Premier League (ZPL) and TopStar Communications Company Limited, each party has obligations and the production rights solely rest on ZPL who are obligated to sub-contract production houses to produce the matches which TopStar distributes on its platform,” the statement read.
The company further revealed that it has not received any match feed from ZPL-contracted production houses since November 2025, making it impossible to broadcast games.
“TopStar can only distribute feed which is shared by the production houses. TopStar has not received any feed for distribution on its platform… hence there being no broadcast of the games.”
FAZ’s Firm Position
FAZ has taken a strong stance on the matter. Mweemba described the situation as one “so dear to my heart” and warned that contractual obligations must be honoured.
“We need to create a win-win situation with our cooperating partners,” Mweemba said, adding that FAZ is prepared to invoke legal provisions if the issue is not resolved within the stipulated timeframe.
He also hinted at alternative broadcasting arrangements, referencing potential engagement with other partners such as Supersport and , Azam TV especially in light of recent legal changes that provide more flexibility in broadcast rights management.
TopStar took over the rights following the end of FAZ’s 18-year partnership with SuperSport, which began in 2007 and saw live league broadcasts commence in the 2008 season.
Commitment to Continue
Despite the current standoff, TopStar insists it remains committed to the MTN Super League and capable of fulfilling its obligations.
“TopStar would like to put it on record that it remains committed to the broadcast of the MTN Super League and has the full capacity to broadcast the games,” the company stated.
It added that discussions with ZPL are ongoing and progressing well.
“Both parties are currently in talks and progress in sorting out the performance of the contractual obligations is going on well and an announcement will be made soon on the resumption of the broadcast of the league.”
Beyond broadcasting rights, TopStar also committed K960,000 toward sponsorship of the ZPL Annual Awards, underscoring its commercial investment in the local game.
The agreement covers MTN Super League matches scheduled to air on the TopStar Mobile App, Sun Sport, ZNBC TV3, Sports Focus and StarTimes platforms.
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