While broadcast television companies across the U.S. have been busily signing rights agreements with pro, semi-pro and collegiate sporting leagues as the regional sports network (RSN) model crumbles, there’s been concern that in the near future an OTT “Big Tech” deep-pocketed Goliath could come forward and snap up the rights to a big-ticket item.
Netflix has just stepped up to the pitch, five days before it debuts its National Football League (NFL) coverage.
The OTT giant has signed an agreement with FIFA that hands Netflix the exclusive U.S. rights to the 2027 and 2031 instalments of the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Women’s soccer in the U.S. is rising in popularity, with icon Marta helping the Orlando Pride win its first NWSL championship this year. In Kansas City, the K.C. Current are rapidly growing their fan base, thanks to the world’s only sporting venue dedicated to a professional women’s soccer team.
While the NFL’s Christmas Day arrival at Netflix heralds a new chapter for what is arguably the nation’s most popular pro sports league, the FIFA Women’s World Cup marks the first competition to be acquired in full by Netflix. This, says FIFA, “further reinforces the tournament’s status as the single biggest women’s sporting event on the planet and provides an outstanding platform to further promote the game.”
The agreement includes both Spanish-language and English-language telecasts and distribution in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
“This is a landmark moment for sports media rights,” said FIFA President Gianni Infantino. “As a marquee brand and FIFA’s new long-term partner, Netflix has shown a very strong level of commitment to growing women’s football. This agreement sends a strong message about the real value of the FIFA Women’s World Cup and the global women’s game. FIFA and Netflix partnering together makes this a truly historic day for broadcasting and for women’s football. Besides broadcasting the tournaments themselves, Netflix will play a key role in terms of bringing the fascination of women’s football to a multimillion audience in the lead-up to both final tournaments, thereby enabling us to further increase their appeal.”
Netflix Chief Content Officer Bela Bajaria added, “I’ve seen the fandom for the FIFA Women’s World Cup grow tremendously – from the electric atmosphere in France in 2019 to, most recently, the incredible energy we saw across Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand last year. Bringing this iconic tournament to Netflix isn’t just about streaming matches, it’s also about celebrating the players, the culture and the passion driving the global rise of women’s sport.”
The FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027 will take place in Brazil from June 24-July 25, 2027.
In addition to offering live coverage, Netflix will produce exclusive documentary series in the lead-up to both tournaments, spotlighting the world’s top players, their journeys and the global growth of women’s football.
Netflix programming focused on soccer already exists, as it is the home of “Under Pressure: The U.S. Women’s World Cup Team,” “Captains of the World” (in partnership with FIFA), “Neymar: The Perfect Chaos,” “Beckham,” “Sunderland ’Til I Die” and “Boca Juniors Confidential,” with upcoming documentaries set to be released on Vinícius Júnior and José Mourinho.




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