Netflix: World Cup boosts football content viewership
August 6, 2026



Through series, documentaries, games and more, Netflix has reported that its slate of football content received a significant boost in viewership on the back of the FIFA World Cup 2026 tournament. Highlights include:

– In May alone, ahead of the start of the World Cup on June 11th, weekly views of Netflix’s football titles more than doubled (over 250 per cent) compared to weekly views in January through April.


– Views of Ronaldinho: The One and Only jumped 34 per cent in Brazil in the hours after the footballing icon’s appearance in the World Cup final’s halftime show.

– As Norway’s run caught fire, Norway: The Dark Horse made its way to the #1 title in Norway in its first week on service. The series remained in Norway’s Top 10 throughout the entire tournament.

– Gary Lineker, Micah Richards and Alan Shearer delivered a daily fix of banter and analysis throughout the tournament with The Rest Is Football. Episodes reached the weekly Top 10 in the UK, and the show’s already been renewed at Netflix for the 2026–27 Premier League season.

– FIFA World Cup: Launch Edition was the #1 most-played Netflix game during the Wolrd Cup. Even after the final whistle of the tournament, fans came back to the game in force — surging more than 40 per cent above normal.

The FIFA Women’s World Cup will stream on Netflix in the US and Canada from June 24th to July 25th 2027.