Disney+ signs football deal with The Overlap
August 13, 2026 12.23 Europe/London By Julian Clover


Disney+ has agreed a one-year sponsorship and content deal with soccer podcast producer The Overlap in an answer to Netflix’s Goalhanger agreement.

Disney’s package includes Stick to Football and a new Manchester United programme hosted by Wayne Rooney and Mark Goldbridge.

The agreement covers the 2026-27 football season in the UK and Ireland. Stick to United with Wayne Rooney will stream weekly from 18 August, followed by Stick to Football from 20 August.

Disney+ will carry 40 new editions of Stick to Football, hosted by Gary Neville, Jamie Carragher, Jill Scott, Ian Wright and Roy Keane. Twenty will be available exclusively on Disney+ for a limited period, while six separately commissioned international episodes will remain exclusive to the service.

The 50-part Stick to United will also be distributed through Disney+ and The United Stand’s YouTube channel. Extended versions will be exclusive to Disney’s platform.

The arrangement is not an exclusive distribution deal for the standard programmes, which will remain available through The Overlap’s YouTube channels and existing audio platforms.

Neville is more than the programme’s presenter. He founded The Overlap in 2021 and remains a co-owner and co-chair following the acquisition of a majority stake by radio giants Global, owner of Capital, Heart and LBC, in January 2026. The business now sits within Global Studios.

“Our community will continue to enjoy our content in exactly the way they always have through YouTube, while at the same time Disney+’s global streaming audience will now be able to discover and enjoy it too,” Neville said.

Netflix’s partnership with Goalhanger for Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer and Micah Richards’ The Rest Is Football for the World Cup was extended after the 2026 World Cup, agreeing to carry Monday and Friday editions throughout the Premier League and Champions League season under a two-year deal running to Euro 2028.

Sean Doyle, vice-president of unscripted at Disney+ EMEA, said the two Overlap programmes would complement the service’s existing entertainment catalogue and ESPN offering.

Disney+ is pursuing a broader sports strategy. Alongside sports discussion and companion formats, it is incorporating ESPN programming and live rights into the service. Its recent acquisitions include selected La Liga coverage in several European markets and global Formula E rights from the 2026-27 season.