Netflix to Pay $200 Million for 2027 Women's World Cup US, Canada Rights, Report Says

Netflix Inc. (NFLX) will pay $200 million for the rights to broadcast the 2027 FIFA Women's World Cup in the United States and Canada, according to a Wednesday report from Bloomberg. The streaming service had previously announced it secured the rights for both the 2027 and 2031 tournaments, but the financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed at that time.

A Landmark Media Deal

The reported figure positions this agreement as one of the largest media deals on an annual basis for a women's sports property. It underscores the rapidly growing commercial interest and investment in women's athletics.

For comparison:

• The WNBA's 11-year, $3.1 billion media deal, which averages about $280 million per year, is considered the largest in women's sports.
• Fox Corp. reportedly paid approximately $485 million for the U.S. broadcast rights to the 2026 Men's World Cup.

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FIFA's Growing Revenue Goals

This deal aligns with FIFA's strategy to increase the value of its women's tournament. The 2023 Women's World Cup was the first time FIFA sold the tournament's broadcast rights separately from the men's event, generating roughly $270 million in global broadcast revenue, according to its annual report.

FIFA expects to nearly double its revenue for the 2027 tournament, which will be held in Brazil, to about $1 billion, FIFA Chief Football Officer Jill Ellis stated in June. The push for higher valuations follows criticism from FIFA President Gianni Infantino in 2023, who called initial bids for that year's tournament too low and threatened broadcast blackouts in some European markets before a deal was reached.