Netflix has confirmed it is open to discussions with FIFA about acquiring rights to the men’s World Cup, with Chief Content Officer Bela Bajaria telling CNBC that the streaming giant’s existing relationship with football’s governing body means talks are likely to take place.
Why Netflix Is Open to Talks With FIFA Over World Cup Rights
When asked directly by CNBC's Alex Sherman whether reports of Netflix's interest in the men's World Cup were accurate, Bajaria did not deny them.
"We have a great partnership and relationship with FIFA, so we're definitely always going to have those conversations," she said.
Bajaria pointed to Netflix's existing relationship with FIFA when discussing the possibility of future talks. Netflix's partnership with FIFA has a specific foundation.
The streaming giant currently holds the U.S. English and Spanish-language rights to the FIFA Women's World Cup for 2027 and 2031, along with the Canadian rights for both tournaments.
It took over from Fox, which had broadcast every edition of the Women's World Cup in the United States since 2015.
"Obviously, it's a beloved sport around the world, and we have the Women's World Cup, so I'm really excited about that," Bajaria said.
Who Could Compete With Netflix for the 2030 and 2034 World Cup Rights?
Netflix is far from alone in showing interest in the men's tournament. Rights to the 2030 World Cup, co-hosted by Morocco, Portugal and Spain, and the 2034 edition in Saudi Arabia are both due to reach the market in the coming months.
Reported interest has included incumbent broadcasters Fox and NBC, as well as Disney, YouTube, Prime Video, ESPN and Apple. The outcome may depend on how FIFA chooses to structure the rights.
According to prior reporting, FIFA is expected to prefer bundling the English and Spanish-language U.S. rights into a single package for both tournaments, rather than selling them separately, as has often happened in the past.
That structure could benefit streaming platforms because a service like Netflix can run multiple language tracks on a single stream, while a traditional linear broadcaster would need separate channels for each language.
“If FIFA takes that approach, Netflix's streaming platform could accommodate multiple language options within the same service. The financial stakes are also significant.
Fox is reported to have generated between $250 million and $450 million in advertising revenue from hydration breaks alone during the most recent men's World Cup. That could be a factor in the next rights auction if the advertising format continues in 2030 and 2034.
However, the host locations and resulting kickoff times could affect viewership in North America. The 2030 tournament in Morocco, Portugal, and Spain and the 2034 edition in Saudi Arabia will not offer the same North American kickoff windows as the most recent World Cup.
How Netflix's Live Sports Strategy Could Support a World Cup Bid
Bajaria's openness to FIFA talks fits with Netflix's wider sports strategy, which she described as being built around turning select properties into what she called "events," "buzzy, cultural, zeitgeist... that really sort of unmissable moment."
That approach already covers NFL games, including Christmas Day doubleheaders and the NFL Honors ceremony, MLB's Home Run Derby, and a number of high-profile combat sports cards.
The events focus on individual moments that can draw large audiences instead of requiring viewers to follow a full season. Netflix's global reach also helps explain why the World Cup fits its sports strategy.
"But ultimately, we have about a billion people around the world that we entertain, and we know people love sports," Bajaria said, adding that advertising partners are "one factor" in pursuing rights like these, but not the only one.
She also confirmed Netflix would be open to a package of international NFL games if one becomes available after the league renegotiates its media-rights agreements. That puts the World Cup interest alongside Netflix's wider plans for international live sports.
Netflix has also indicated it would consider different ways to structure a future rights deal rather than require exclusive ownership.
Bajaria pointed to the company's existing partnership with France's TF1 Group, which she described as a "test" of bringing another broadcaster's live content directly to Netflix's platform:
"We can partner with TF1 locally, and that was sort of a conversation to, like, oh, let's try to test it."
The approach comes as other platforms explore similar partnerships. YouTube announced in July that it would begin bringing NBCUniversal's Peacock content to its Premium platform.
If Netflix eventually secures exclusive U.S. rights to the men's World Cup, it would mark a first for the tournament's U.S. media coverage.
For now, however, Netflix has not made a bid, no timeline has been set, and FIFA has yet to publicly respond to Bajaria's comments.
