FIFA and streaming platforms do not usually mix, but 2026 might change that. Netflix is officially partnering with FIFA ahead of the 2026 World Cup. The streaming giant will deliver original, tournament-related content, offering fans a new way to experience the World Cup.

This move highlights Netflix’s strategy of creating football-focused shows that complement, rather than replace, traditional broadcast coverage, turning attention to storytelling, analysis, and daily discussions around the event.

As it turns out, there is much more to this deal than just streaming matches.

Despite early assumptions, Netflix will not stream live FIFA World Cup 2026 matches or replace traditional broadcasters in any capacity. Instead, the deal centers on gaming and interactive content. More specifically a new FIFA-branded football game will be developed by Delphi Interactive and distributed through Netflix Games. 

The title will be available on mobile devices at no additional cost to Netflix subscribers. In other words, Netflix is not showing the World Cup, it is finding new ways to let fans engage with it.

“The FIFA World Cup is going to be the cultural event of 2026, and now fans will be able to celebrate their fandom by bringing the game right into their living rooms,” Alain Tascan said in Netflix's press release. 

According to Netflix president of games Alain Tascan, the goal is to make the tournament culturally participatory, not passively consumed. FIFA president Gianni Infantino echoed that sentiment in the same press release, calling the collaboration a “key milestone” in FIFA’s push toward innovation in football gaming.

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While the game brings fans closer to the action on their screens, Netflix is also lining up familiar football voices to guide the conversation throughout the World Cup.

Netflix’s World Cup 2026 plans also extend into football conversation and analysis, with The Rest Is Football officially heading to the platform during the tournament. Hosted by Gary Lineker, Micah Richards, and Alan Shearer, the hugely popular podcast will be produced as a daily video show throughout the men’s World Cup.

It will be filmed from a dedicated studio in New York City. During the tournament across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, the trio will deliver match analysis, interviews, and behind-the-scenes insights, offering expert coverage straight from fan zones. 

The Netflix move also comes at a pivotal moment for Lineker. In 2024, he stepped away from the BBC after more than two decades. It essentially ended his long-running association with Match of the Day following repeated public controversies and editorial tensions. His transition to Netflix signals a shift away from traditional public broadcasting toward platform-driven, personality-led football coverage.

Netflix’s new FIFA World Cup 2026 move adds to the growing list of sports that Netflix strategically added on its roster over the years. Despite its avoidance of live broadcasts, with its deal with FIFA, Netflix leans heavily into culture, conversation, and fan engagement. .

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