NEW YORK (Reuters) – FIFA and Netflix (NASDAQ:) have signed a deal to broadcast the 2027 and 2031 editions of the Women’s World Cup in the United States, world soccer’s governing body said on Friday.
FIFA said the Women’s World Cup will be the first competition to be fully taken over by Netflix and US fans will be able to watch every match live.
The agreement also includes Puerto Rico, while it will cover all languages, with dual broadcast in English and Spanish in the US
“As a major brand and FIFA’s new long-term partner, Netflix has demonstrated a very strong commitment to the growth of women’s football,” FIFA president Gianni Infantino said in a statement.
“In addition to broadcasting the tournaments themselves, Netflix will play a key role in bringing the fascination for women’s football to an audience of millions in the lead-up to both final tournaments, allowing us to further broaden its appeal.”
The 2027 Women’s World Cup will be played in Brazil between June 24 and July 25, the first time the tournament has been held in South America. The hosts of the 2031 edition have yet to be determined by the FIFA Congress.
In addition to live coverage, Netflix will also produce a documentary series in the run-up to both tournaments.
The deal is the latest in Netflix’s embrace of sports, as the streaming service looks to build on its strategy of offering its own content that viewers can’t find anywhere else.
Netflix said more than 100 million people worldwide watched a fight between retired Mike Tyson and social media influencer and boxer Jake Paul last month.
The streaming giant will also put on two live NFL games for the first time on Christmas Day.
Tense negotiations over television deals for the 2023 edition of the tournament almost led to the tournament being banned in key countries as FIFA sold broadcast rights to the women’s competition separately from the men’s competition for the first time.
The tournament, which culminated in a blockbuster final between England and Spain, attracted a record number of viewers with 12 million people tuning in to BBC One to watch the championship match in Britain.
