Netflix Expands Live Sports Playbook with FIFA World Cup Rights in Canada

Netflix is pushing deeper into live sports, securing the exclusive Canadian broadcast rights for the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2027 and 2031. The move expands its existing U.S. deal and cements its strategy to own major global sporting events rather than just license on-demand content.

• The long game: The partnership covers the 32-team tournament in Brazil in 2027 and the expanded 48-team competition in 2031. Broadcasts will be tailored for local audiences, with English and Spanish feeds in the U.S. and both English and French options in Canada, all included with standard plans.

• The Drive to Survive effect: Beyond the matches, Netflix plans to build a narrative universe around the event. The company is producing a slate of shoulder programming, including studio shows and documentary series that will track key players and the sport's booming popularity worldwide. Netflix CCO Bela Bajaria cited the "massive appetite for women’s sports" as a key driver for the deal.

• Owning the living room: The FIFA deal is the latest in a string of high-profile sports acquisitions, following blockbuster agreements for WWE Raw and annual NFL Christmas Day games. The strategy extends beyond sports, as seen when Netflix launched a suite of interactive party games controlled by players' phones—another clear play to become the default destination for home entertainment.

By bundling premier live events with its core entertainment offering, Netflix is transforming itself from a simple streaming service into a digital town square, capturing audience attention across multiple formats.