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Netflix and World Baseball Classic Inc. have announced an exclusive partnership for the 2026 World Baseball Classic. This collaboration will bring the tournament to Japan, with Netflix live-streaming all 47 games for Japanese audiences. The agreement also provides on-demand access to the games, marking a notable step for Netflix in live sports content.

MLB Deputy Commissioner Noah Garden and Netflix’s VP of Content in Japan, Kaata Sakamoto, commented on the deal and reaffirmed their commitment to providing an innovative viewing experience for fans in Japan. This new partnership expands on prior collaborations between the two companies, which have included documentary projects.

Tournament Details 

The 2026 World Baseball Classic will feature 20 teams competing for the title. The event, which will be available exclusively on Netflix in Japan, provides a platform for Team Japan to defend its championship. This move reflects the increasing focus on live sports and the popularity of baseball in the region.

Netflix is steadily transforming into a multi-genre entertainment powerhouse—and live sports are now a key pillar of its content strategy. Over the past two quarters, the streaming giant has made significant moves to expand its footprint in premium live sports programming, leveraging high-profile partnerships, marquee events, and global rights to deepen engagement and boost advertising revenue. Below is a breakdown of their key live sports investments, as revealed in the company’s Q1 and Q2 2025 shareholder communications and earnings calls.

🔴 1. WWE: 52 Weeks of Live Sports Programming

“We now have WWE live events 52 weeks a year. We are pleased with the engagement to date as WWE tentpole shows like Royal Rumble and Elimination Chamber… have drawn large audiences and impressive fandom. Monday Night RAW has ranked in the Weekly Top 10 across 29 different countries… As of April 1, Netflix has been the exclusive home for WWE in India.”
— Netflix Q1 2025 Shareholder Letter

Netflix’s global WWE deal marks a major investment in year-round live sports content, with localization (e.g., Hindi commentary in India) to strengthen regional engagement.

🥊 2. Women’s Boxing: Taylor vs. Serrano 3

“The November 2024 Taylor-Serrano fight on Netflix became the most-watched professional women’s sports event in US history. With the upcoming rematch, we’re poised for another groundbreaking night that will further elevate the profile of women athletes.”
— Netflix Q1 2025 Shareholder Letter

This landmark rematch positions Netflix as a key player in women’s sports broadcasting and showcases its ambition to host culturally significant live events.

🏈 3. NFL: Expanding Holiday Game Coverage

“We’ve opted into a second game for Christmas 2025 when we’ll once again be the home of the NFL for Christmas Day.”
— Netflix Q1 2025 Shareholder Letter

“We also look forward to our NFL Christmas Day doubleheader, featuring two compelling divisional matchups—Dallas Cowboys vs. Washington Commanders and Detroit Lions vs. Minnesota Vikings.”
— Netflix Q2 2025 Shareholder Letter

With multiple Christmas Day NFL games, Netflix is signaling that it’s ready to compete in one of the most valuable live broadcast categories: American football.

⚽ 4. UEFA Nations League: France Expansion via TF1

“We recently announced a partnership with leading local broadcaster TF1 in France… including major live sports programming such as the UEFA Nations League.”
— Netflix Q2 2025 Shareholder Letter

This partnership adds European football to Netflix’s growing sports lineup and integrates it directly into subscribers’ plans—no extra apps, no extra fees.

📢 5. Advertiser Excitement Around Live Sports

“Our slate… includes a growing number of live events that advertisers are excited about.”
— Gregory K. Peters, Co-CEO, Netflix FQ2 2025 Earnings Call

Live sports are not just an audience engagement strategy—they’re a magnet for advertisers seeking real-time viewership, appointment viewing, and high engagement.

These recent developments signify a major strategic pivot for Netflix from a pure on-demand subscription service to a diversified, multi-genre content platform. The company’s push into live sports, including WWE, NFL, UEFA Nations League, and women’s boxing, represents an upstream disruption. By securing exclusive, high-value rights, Netflix is directly competing with and transforming the roles of traditional broadcasters and cable companies. This move creates new revenue streams, primarily through its ad-supported tier, and shifts the supply chain for live content from a fragmented, regional broadcast model to a consolidated, global streaming one.

For Vitrina members, this has a clear impact: rights holders (e.g., leagues, federations) gain a new, deep-pocketed buyer for their content, potentially driving up licensing fees. Downstream, this provides opportunities for ad-tech companies, data analytics providers, and production crews, as Netflix builds out the necessary infrastructure for live delivery and monetization. The collaboration with entities like TF1 in France indicates a future where streaming giants will not just replace but also partner with legacy media, creating hybrid distribution models. This strategic shift transforms live events from a one-time pay-per-view transaction into a powerful, year-round subscriber acquisition and retention tool.