Netflix and FIFA have finalized an agreement granting the streaming platform exclusive broadcasting rights in the United States for the next two FIFA Women's World Cup tournaments, FIFA confirmed on Friday.
The 2027 World Cup will take place in Brazil, while the host nation for the 2031 tournament has yet to be determined, with the U.S. anticipated to submit a bid.
The agreement, unveiled Friday, marks FIFA's most significant deal with a streaming platform for a major tournament. While the financial details were not disclosed, women's international football competitions have historically faced challenges in securing high-value broadcasting offers.
"This is a landmark moment for sports media rights," Fifa's president, Gianni Infantino said. "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."
The chief content officer at Netflix, 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 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."
For the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup, broadcasting giant Fox and Spanish-language terrestrial channel Telemundo held the rights to air the tournament in the United States and Puerto Rico.
A 2019 FIFA report revealed that the Women's World Cup that year, won by the United States, attracted 1.12 billion viewers globally. The 2023 tournament in Australia and New Zealand set a new record for U.S. domestic viewership during the group stage.
