Netflix bags U.S. media rights for the 2027 and 2031 FIFA Women’s World Cup tournaments

The GIST: Netflix pulled off quite the heist on Friday by acquiring the U.S. media rights for the 2027 and 2031 editions of the FIFA Women’s World Cup (WWC). It will be Netflix’s first time covering an entire sports tournament and marks FIFA’s biggest deal with a streamer, not to mention it’s the first time the WWC’s U.S. rights were sold separately from the men’s FIFA World Cup. Tudum.

The details: In addition to airing all WWC matches live, Netflix plans to produce a women’s soccer studio show and an exclusive documentary series ahead of the 2027 WWC in Brazil and the 2031 WWC, which could see the U.S. playing host. While financial terms weren’t announced, Netflix likely paid in the tens of millions to acquire the rights so early.

• Matches will air in Spanish and English, allowing Netflix to potentially reach 41M Americans who speak Spanish as a first language. The streamer currently boasts about 84.8M paid subscribers across the U.S. and Canada, and with the WWC faring well among American audiences even without the USWNT, landing these rights was a golazo.

The trend: Netflix is steadily gaining on Amazon and Apple with its live sports offerings, from this week’s Christmas Day NFL games to WWE’s popular Monday Night Raw program in the new year. It already flexed its reach in November by drawing 65M households globally for its Mike Tyson–Jake Paul boxing bout.

• Previously, Netflix has primarily focused on men’s sports with its live sports broadcasts, but this deal signifies a meaningful pivot to live women’s sports. Better yet, the WWC isn’t a one-off event and gives Netflix an opening on the pitch after missing out on the NWSL’s multinetwork deal in 2023.

Zooming out: Through docuseries like the USWNT’s Under Pressure, Netflix has been uniquely investing in longform content around women’s soccer, something fans (especially Gen Z ones) are primed to enjoy. As a streamer, Netflix can better craft holistic experiences around sporting events with docuseries and dramas around the big game.

• While being a one-stop-shop is great for Netflix, it doesn’t necessarily work out for all those non-subscribers — Fox and cable networks are typically easier to access. Plus, many viewers have raised concerns about its ability to deliver live sports after a glitchy Tyson-Paul match. Loading...