Netflix has just sealed the exclusive US rights to stream the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2027 and 2031. It is a history-making move that heralds a big change in how sports are broadcast. For the very first time, a major women’s soccer championship will be shown online!
It’s set to feature 32 teams contesting matches across 12 different cities in Brazil from June 24 to July 25, 2027. The host nation for the 2031 competition is yet to be revealed; however, Netflix’s signing with both these competitions indicates that they’re seriously planning a long-term investment into women’s sports.
Netflix creating a “history”
Netflix is not just streaming games. They are creating an entire world of content around the competition. There will be experienced commentary, exciting studio productions, and exclusive documentaries deep-diving into the athletes’ personal stories and how it has grown women’s football across the entire globe. This all-encompassing approach follows on from where the action-packed 2023 tournament left off – it was Spain’s first title as they defeated England in a 1-0 thriller.
Already, the company’s foray into live sports is paying off. Its recent bout between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson drew a record 108 million viewers, the most-streamed sporting event ever. The Katie Taylor vs. Amanda Serrano bout became the most-watched professional women’s sports event in US history, with 74 million live global viewers.
According to Netflix Chief Content Officer Bela Bajaria, “Our record-breaking success with Amanda Serrano vs. Katie Taylor showed the massive appetite for women’s sports and live programming. The incredible energy we’ve seen at recent World Cups, from France in 2019 to Australia and New Zealand in 2023, proves that this tournament deserves the biggest possible platform.”
A Growing Soccer Library
The rights to the Women’s World Cup complement Netflix’s existing soccer content including popular documents like “Under Pressure: The US Women’s World Cup Team” and “Beckham.” Schedules are released for other big soccer stars, including Vinícius Junior and Jose Mourinho.
To make this tournament reach more people across the United States, Netflix has decided to air it both in English and Spanish so that the beautiful game could be accessible to millions.
What This Means for the Future
This landmark deal is far more than a business transaction; it’s an important statement about the future of sports broadcasting and growing recognition for women’s sports. Bringing the FIFA Women’s World Cup to a streaming platform, Netflix breaks down the traditional barriers that may separate it from audiences not able to reach conventional sports broadcasting.
This is also an expression of the new ways of consumption of sports content, encompassing streaming platforms that become rapidly the default destination of both live events and its supplementary content. With its well-proven history in original content production, this collaboration has a great deal of promise in creating for the World Cup a brand-new experience that is going to revolutionize sports broadcasting.
Given the platform’s extensive experience in producing high-quality original content, this partnership presents a unique opportunity to reimagine the World Cup viewing experience. By leveraging this expertise, the collaboration can deliver an innovative and immersive broadcast that goes beyond traditional television coverage.
This new approach has the potential to revolutionize sports broadcasting by offering fans a more engaging and personalized experience. It could include features such as interactive elements, exclusive behind-the-scenes content, personalized viewing options, and innovative storytelling formats. Ultimately, this partnership aims to create a truly unique and unforgettable World Cup experience for fans around the globe.
