As a lifelong cinephile and sports enthusiast, I must say that Netflix’s acquisition of the exclusive rights for the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027 and 2031 is an exciting development! The growing interest and popularity of women’s football globally is evident, and it’s fantastic to see a streaming giant like Netflix invest in this space.

Netflix‘s next shot on goal in live sports: the FIFA Women’s World Cup.

FIFA and Netflix have reached an agreement, giving Netflix exclusive streaming rights in the United States for the 2027 and 2031 editions of the FIFA Women’s World Cup. This partnership is being hailed as a significant milestone for women’s soccer.

For the first time ever, the FIFA Women’s World Cup will be fully purchased by Netflix. As stated by FIFA, this move not only underscores the tournament’s position as the most significant women’s sports event globally, but also offers an exceptional opportunity to amplify the popularity of the sport even more.

According to the deal, Netflix will grant American fans exclusive live streaming of every match along with comprehensive coverage, featuring studio shows. The contract encompasses Puerto Rico and caters to all languages, with prominent personalities ready to participate in a simultaneous broadcast for both English and Spanish audiences within the U.S.

In simple terms, the Women’s FIFA World Cup of 2027 is scheduled to occur in Brazil, spanning from June 24 to July 25. This global event will feature the top 32 national teams battling it out on the field. As for the host country or countries for the 2031 tournament, they have not been chosen by FIFA Congress yet.

2023’s Women’s World Cup, being held in Australia and New Zealand, saw the U.S. broadcast rights shared between Fox Sports and NBCUniversal’s Telemundo – the same companies that held these rights for the 2015 and 2019 tournaments in the United States.

Beyond just broadcasting live events, Netflix plans to create unique documentary series prior to each tournament, focusing on highlighting prominent female football players, their personal stories, and the expansion of women’s football on a global scale.

Netflix’s acquisition of the two Women’s World Cup tournaments for U.S. subscribers is their latest step into live sports broadcasting. Coming up on Christmas Day next week, Netflix plans to stream two NFL games (Chiefs vs. Steelers and Ravens vs. Texans) worldwide for the first time, along with a Beyoncé-headlined halftime show at the Ravens-Texans game. Additionally, Netflix holds rights to at least one holiday NFL game in 2025 and 2026. Starting from January 2025, “Monday Night Raw,” produced by WWE, will be streamed live every week on Netflix under a multi-billion dollar, 10-year contract.

Bela Bajaria, Netflix’s chief content officer, commented on how the fanbase for the Women’s FIFA World Cup has significantly expanded – from the electrifying vibe in France during 2019 to the astonishing enthusiasm witnessed across Australia and New Zealand last year,” said. “Streaming this renowned tournament on Netflix isn’t merely about broadcasting matches, but it’s also about honoring the players, appreciating the culture, and acknowledging the fervor propelling the worldwide surge in women’s sports.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino called it “a landmark moment for sports media rights.”

In his statement, Infantino expressed that as a leading brand and recent long-term ally of FIFA, Netflix has demonstrated a significant dedication towards expanding women’s soccer. This partnership underscores the genuine worth of the FIFA Women’s World Cup and global women’s sports, making it an unforgettable day in broadcasting history and for women’s football.

Netflix offers a variety of soccer-centric programming such as “Under Pressure: The U.S. Women’s World Cup Team,” collaborations like “Captains of the World” with FIFA, “Neymar: The Perfect Chaos,” “Beckham,” “Sunderland ‘Til I Die,” and “Boca Juniors Confidential.” Additionally, the streaming platform plans to debut documentaries about Vinícius Júnior and José Mourinho in the future.

As a passionate film enthusiast, I can’t help but feel the excitement pulsating from this stunning image! Here stands Sophia Smith, an American soccer star, masterfully controlling the ball against Filippa Angeldal of Sweden. This captivating moment unfolded during the Round of 16 match of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023, held at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium on Aug. 6, 2023.

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2024-12-20 18:17