Netflix fights for FIFA World Cup rights as talks begin
The global appetite for football is only growing, and with it, the fight for the lucrative media rights to the FIFA World Cup. At the center of this high-stakes bidding war is the California-based streaming juggernaut, Netflix, which is firmly positioning itself not just as a consumer of sports, but as a key player in the future of global sporting entertainment.
Netflix executive Bela Bajaria has confirmed that while the streamer already holds rights for the 2027 and 2031 FIFA Women’s World Cups in the U.S. and Canada, the company is actively keeping its eye on the next major tournaments. Bajaria noted that the relationship between Netflix and FIFA is robust, particularly concerning the Women’s World Cup, and she stressed the importance of staying in the conversation about future global events.
“We have a great relationship with FIFA because we have the Women’s World Cup and we’re having those conversations,” Bajaria explained. Beyond established rights, the executive emphasized a core philosophy for streaming content: a desire for sporting events that truly feel “eventy.” This focus suggests that Netflix is looking beyond simple broadcasting to create immersive, must-watch experiences for the world’s biggest tournaments.
A Media Arms Race
This pursuit of premium content has ignited a fierce competition among global media giants vying for ownership of these massive properties. Netflix is not alone in the race; powerful entities like Disney, which owns ESPN, and Alphabet’s YouTube have already demonstrated significant interest in securing these rights. Alongside them, traditional broadcasters like Fox are also in the running, while market titans Amazon and Apple are poised to enter the bidding race once talks advance.
The competitive landscape is further complicated by the unique structure of the 2026 tournament, which was co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Since those agreements concluded, FIFA now has the opportunity to package both English and Spanish-language rights for upcoming tournaments, potentially making the next rights deal substantially larger and more attractive for major media companies.
Industry estimates reveal the sheer financial scale of this media rights push. Media companies are budgeting between $1.5 billion and $2 billion for the U.S. rights to each World Cup tournament. These enormous figures underscore why the competition is so intense, positioning the negotiation as a multi-billion dollar media arms race.
Looking ahead, the focus remains on the massive World Cups scheduled for the next decade. The 2030 tournament is set to feature hosts Morocco, Portugal, and Spain, complete with three centenary matches in Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay. Later in the cycle, the 2034 World Cup is slated to be hosted by Saudi Arabia, setting the stage for another intense period of negotiation as everyone attempts to claim the global football spotlight.
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