Esther Gonzalez of Spain kisses the FIFA Women’s World Cup Trophy after the team’s victory in the FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 Final match between Spain and England at Stadium Australia on August 20, 2023.
Alex Pantling – Fifa | Fifa | Getty Images
Netflix on Friday announced it has secured exclusive rights in the U.S. to the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2027 and 2031.
The announcement comes just days before Netflix will stream its first ever National Football League Christmas Day games. Adding the Women’s World Cup to its portfolio shows the streaming giant is continuing to bulk up its sports rights portfolio. It also comes as the popularity of women’s sports has risen over the past year.
“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,” Netflix Chief Content Officer Bela Bajaria said in a press release. “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 2027 tournament is set to take place in 12 cities across Brazil. The host country for the 2031 tournament is yet to be announced.
Netflix said coverage of the Women’s World Cup will include commentary and entertainment from studio shows and top-tier talent, as well as Netflix original documentaries around major players and the sport’s rapidly growing fan base in the lead-up to the tournament.
The Women’s World Cup has continued to grow in popularity, and more people in the U.S. tuned in for the women’s final in 2019 than the men’s in 2018. U.S. viewership dropped substantially in 2023, however, after the two-time defending champions were knocked out in the Round of 16.
As the audience for the WNBA and women’s national soccer team has grown significantly in the U.S., soccer remains one of the most popular sports globally.
Netflix has 282.7 million global memberships, and the streamer has been pushing for growth internationally in part through its cheaper, ad-supported tier.
Sports media rights have also exploded in valuation for media companies as live sports beckon the biggest audiences.
Netflix has continued to grow into the sports category, streaming a Mike Tyson-Jake Paul fight last month, which was watched by 108 million people, making it the most-streamed sporting event ever, according to Netflix.
On Christmas Day, the streamer is set to cover the NFL double-header featuring the Kansas City Chiefs versus the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Baltimore Ravens versus the Houston Texans.
