Netflix has secured the rights to broadcast the 2030 FIFA World Cup matches
Netflix has secured the broadcasting rights for the 2030 FIFA World Cup / Photo: Mlle Sonyah / Shutterstock.com
The streaming platform Netflix has acquired exclusive rights to broadcast the 2030 FIFA World Cup in Spain and Andorra, the company announced. Spain, along with Portugal and Morocco, is one of the tournament’s co-hosts. Netflix shares rose by about 1% in premarket trading on Tuesday, October 13.
The agreement covers all 104 matches of the championship. Some of the games will be broadcast for free: all of Spain’s matches, both semifinals, and the final will be available on a national television channel.
The company did not disclose the financial terms of the deal.
Why Is This Important?
For Netflix, this is another step forward in its expansion into sports broadcasting: the service already airs NFL games and holds the rights to broadcast the next two Women’s World Cups in the U.S. Media rights for the 2030 tournament in other regions, including the U.S., have not yet been fully allocated or announced everywhere, according to Bloomberg.
The streaming service had long stayed out of live sports broadcasting but changed its stance following the success of its documentary series on Formula 1 racing and began expanding its portfolio of sports rights. In January 2024, the company signed its first long-term sports deal—a ten-year contract to broadcast WWE wrestling shows worth approximately $5 billion.
The live streaming experience wasn’t without its challenges: the broadcast of the Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul boxing match in November 2024 was marred by technical glitches and viewer complaints. Despite this, Netflix continued to expand its sports programming, including by acquiring the rights to broadcast NFL Christmas games. In 2025, these broadcasts drew an average of 27.5 million viewers in the U.S. and 30.5 million worldwide.
In its letter to shareholders for the second quarter of 2026, the company reported that live programming this year would account for just over 5% of content expenses and about 1% of total viewing hours. At the same time, over the past five years, six of the ten days with the highest number of new sign-ups were days when the platform broadcast live events.
This article was AI-translated and verified by a human editor
