On Friday, Netflix announced that it had agreed on a deal with FIFA, the governing body of world football, to have exclusive broadcasting rights for the next two Women’s World Cup competitions.
The deal came after Netflix began its concerted effort to offer more live sports events to subscribers. This year, the streaming platform will begin streaming Christmas Day National Football League games (NFL) for the next three years. They also exclusively aired the Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson boxing match, which the company said was the “most-streamed sporting event ever”– although it received criticism for the unreliable quality of the stream and constant buffering.
The fight’s co-main event, Katie Taylor vs Amanda Serrano, became one of the most-watched professional women’s sports events in history. The deal also comes during the general rise of popularity in women’s sports in recent years.
In a press release, Netflix Chief Content Officer Bela Bajaria said: “I’ve seen the fandom for the FIFA Women’s World Cup grow tremendously — from the electric atmosphere in France in 2019, and most recently, the incredible energy across Australia and New Zealand in 2023… Bringing this iconic tournament to Netflix is not just about streaming matches — it’s about celebrating the players, the culture, and the passion driving the global rise of women’s sports.”
The next FIFA Women’s World Cup will be held in 2027 in Brazil, with 2031’s location yet to be determined. U.S. Soccer and the Mexican Football Federation recently announced their intention to launch a joint bid for the 2031 competition.
A public statement from FIFA claimed that the deal would provide American fans with “unparalleled access” to every live match, including in-depth coverage and quality studio hosts. The coverage will also include entertainment, talent shows, and original documentaries surrounding the players and the team in the build-up to the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Historically, the number of viewers when the U.S. women’s team advanced deep into the World Cup was massive. The 2015 U.S. vs. Japan final drew 26.7 million viewers, and the final between the U.S. and the Netherlands in 2019 drew 16.9 million. By contrast, Spain’s win over England in the 2023 final drew a combined 2.1 million viewers across Spanish and English channels.
