As the bidding to be the US broadcaster for the 2027 and 2031 Women’s World Cup was ongoing, there were rumors that there was a shock candidate leading the race. These rumors turned out to be true as usual candidates FOX and ESPN fell behind and Netflix won out in the end.
Via InsideFIFA:
FIFA and Netflix have signed a historic agreement relating to the exclusive rights in the United States to the 2027 and 2031 instalments of the FIFA Women’s World Cup. The FIFA Women’s World Cup will be the first competition to be acquired in full by Netflix. The deal will provide US-based fans with access to every match live and to coverage, including studio shows. The agreement includes Puerto Rico and covers all languages, with talent poised to feature in a dual telecast for both English- and Spanish-language broadcasts in the US. In addition to offering live coverage, Netflix will produce exclusive documentary series in the lead-up to both tournaments, spotlighting the world’s top players, their journeys and the global growth of women’s football.
One has to wonder how the coverage will go, being the first competition Netflix has ever acquired in full. It sounds as if this is the most fiscally significant deal the FIFA Women’s World Cup has drawn in its history, which is good news (even if no numbers were actually revealed).
But is also certainly seems like an experiment from Netflix, which is far from ideal when we are talking about the World Cup, the biggest footballing event in the world. Furthermore, World Cups are usually broadcast on free-to-air public networks. Will the same be the case for Netflix or will the tournament be stuck behind a paywall, driving the number of viewers down?
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