CANAL+ has unveiled its financial results for the first quarter of 2026, marking a pivotal shift as the group moves into the operational phase of its MultiChoice integration.
While the group managed to keep its historical revenues largely stable, the total revenue surged by 41% compared to the first quarter of 2025, reaching €2,169 million, primarily due to the MultiChoice acquisition. When excluding this acquisition, the core CANAL+ revenue saw a steady growth of 1.8%, totaling €1,567 million.
Strategic shifts are particularly evident in the African market, where the group confirmed that the Showmax platform will be retired by April 30, 2026, with its content migrating to the DStv platform. This integration is expected to yield significant efficiency, with a synergy target of €250 million in savings for the year.
Meanwhile, STUDIOCANAL continues to be a powerhouse for the group, growing by 9% thanks to the acquisition of Lucky Red and the global success of titles like Guru, Children of the Resistance, and The Housemaid.
The group is also making history in the financial sector; on June 3, 2026, CANAL+ is set to become the first French company to have a secondary listing on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE). From a regional perspective, while revenues in Africa and Asia spiked due to the MultiChoice impact, the European market faced a slight 1.6% dip.
This decrease was driven by the closure of the C8 channel and the end of the DAZN distribution agreement, though the decline was partially offset by robust OTT growth in Poland and Austria.
