South African soccer magazines: It’s all about fans

Every ‘die-hard’ soccer fan knows that when they pick up a soccer magazine such as Soccer Club or Kick Off, they are going to find everything they need to know about their favourite soccer teams, players and coaches. 

The Target Media Directory team takes a look at both Soccer Club and Kick Off, and the opportunities they offer brands. 

The magazines:

Both these magazines are published and distributed in South Africa. Kick Off also reaches audiences as far as Kenya, Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Swaziland.

Soccer Club is a custom magazine that is available to The Foschini Group’s (TFG) SoccerClub members on a subscription basis. It is published monthly by the independent magazine publisher Highbury Media and has a circulation of 75 097. 

It is packed with features about local, regional and international soccer tournaments and leagues. The magazine’s content is a mix of player and coach profiles, pre- and post-game discussions, and features about the sport.

Adverts cover soccer fan merchandise, events and mostly men’s fashion, along with TFG products. 

Kick Off has a circulation of 18 054.  This Media24 publication is a monthly that was launched in 1994. It has longer features and often includes full-page images of players. Articles also focus on players and coaches and include news about teams, leagues and tournaments

Due to its wider geographical reach, Kick Off contains more adverts for international brands, while Soccer Clubhas a larger variety of local brands that are advertised. 

Kick Off magazine also features high-end advertisements from brands, including sponsors or partners of major football clubs. These brands include Nivea, which sponsors Real Madrid C.F., and Shield, a partner of Chelsea F.C.

Sports publications like these magazines help brands reach soccer fans across African countries. To help PR teams identify relevant media titles, Target Media Directory lists the details of more than 71 sports-focused magazines in South Africa. 

Sign up at www.targetmedia.co.za for in-depth details of publications, broadcast stations, websites and blogs in South Africa, as well as prominent media titles across the African continent.