Sports broadcasting rights have risen in value, not just in dollar terms, but also in importance for traditional TV companies fighting a losing battle against streaming services such as Netflix.
While online and video-on-demand allow consumers to view programmes at their leisure, thus freeing them from the tyranny of a fixed schedule, sporting events are also a major draw for traditional media platforms.
However, they do not come cheap.
TV rights in the United States alone are projected to rise 9 per cent a year to US$19.3 billion in 2018, according to a study by PricewaterhouseCoopers.
As costs rise, some established broadcasters are opting to reduce sports coverage. Last year the BBC said it would cut £35 million (Dh187.9m) from its sports rights budget with some events to be dropped from free-to-air television in Britain. This was in response to declining viewership and, crucially, a migration to online platforms.
Should sport viewing move online it would hurt established broadcasters even more. Alternative platforms may well find quickest growth in regions such as Africa, where traditional broadcast infrastructure is limited, says Philip Leavesley, a Johannesburg-based legal consultant specialising in sports rights negotiation.
“The cost of data would make this prohibitive for most people currently but it’s not to say that special packages could be negotiated between mobile providers and sport franchises to allow users to stream specific sporting events using dedicated bundles.”
About 67 per cent of Africa’s population of about 1.13 billion have mobile phones, according to a study by StarTimes Group, a digital broadcast provider based in Nigeria.
At the same time about 26.5 per cent of the population is on the internet, with 50.3 million on Facebook.
With such a high number of users accessing the net via a handset, it may be inevitable that companies providing sports broadcasting begin looking at using their platforms for live streaming.
Zimbabwe’s Kwese Sports is a new sports channel launched at the end of last year. The company is owned by Econet, a mobile provider founded by Strive Masiyiwa, a Zimbabwean billionaire now living in London.
Econet has a wide footprint across Africa as a mobile services provider. This puts it in an ideal position to use its sports broadcasting franchise together with its mobile platform.
In the meantime, African sport itself stands to gain. “Many of the African players now competing at an international level overseas were first spotted playing in local tournaments,” Mr Leavesley says.
“Scouts routinely attend large regional events such as the African Cup of Nations, but as coverage of smaller events increases, more athletes will gain exposure and a shot at being signed up.”
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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Dr Amal Khalid Alias revealed a recent case of a woman with daughters, who specifically wanted a boy.
A semen analysis of the father showed abnormal sperm so the couple required IVF.
Out of 21 eggs collected, six were unused leaving 15 suitable for IVF.
A specific procedure was used, called intracytoplasmic sperm injection where a single sperm cell is inserted into the egg.
On day three of the process, 14 embryos were biopsied for gender selection.
The next day, a pre-implantation genetic report revealed four normal male embryos, three female and seven abnormal samples.
Day five of the treatment saw two male embryos transferred to the patient.
The woman recorded a positive pregnancy test two weeks later.
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