Disney+ signs NHL deal for Sweden, Finland
September 16, 2026

By Nik Roseveare



Disney+ and the National Hockey League (NHL) have announced a new five-year agreement that will bring the US hockey league to Disney+ subscribers in Sweden and Finland starting with the 2026/27 season. The NHL games included in the deal will stream live via ESPN on Disney+, the dedicated ESPN offering that gives access to live sports, studio shows, original programming and more, with select games also available on Star Channel in Finland.

Coverage will include select ESPN-produced games, delivering live broadcasts, expert analysis and local-language expertise on select matchups throughout the NHL season.


Disney+ customers will have access to 160 regular-season games in total, which include 50 guaranteed games in Nordic primetime, as well as 20 playoff games from the first and second rounds of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The agreement also includes shared rights to the Conference Final and the Stanley Cup Final.

With this deal, Disney+ continues to expand its live sports offering in Europe. In the Nordics, this includes the NFL in Sweden, UEFA Europa League and UEFA Conference League in Sweden and Denmark, Copa del Rey in Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Finland, LaLiga and DFB-Pokal in Sweden, Denmark and Finland, and the UEFA Champions League in Sweden from the 2027/28 season. Disney+ is also the exclusive home of the UEFA Women’s Champions League across Europe.

Karl Holmes, General Manager, Disney+ EMEA, commented: “In Sweden and Finland, hockey isn’t just watched, it’s a passion shared across generations. From overtime winners to the race for the Stanley Cup, there’s nothing quite like the NHL. With so many Swedish and Finnish stars, we’re excited to bring the NHL to customers, adding another brilliant competition to our growing lineup of live sport.”

David Proper, Chief Media Officer & Senior Executive Vice President at NHL, said: “The NHL’s connection to fans across the Nordic region and internationally has never been stronger, driven by the success of both Nordic-born players in the NHL and our tremendous on-ice product overall. Disney+ and ESPN are important in expanding our global reach and serving our international fans, providing broad access and unique perspective to NHL games and showcasing the incredible impact Nordic players continue to have on the sport.”

Diego Londono, Senior Vice President & General Manager, Networks & Sports, The Walt Disney Company EMEA, added: “ESPN’s relationship with the NHL has been shaped by decades of expert insight, analysis and storytelling, and we’re proud to bring that experience to customers in Sweden and Finland for the first time on Disney+. With ESPN alongside each game, fans can follow every twist of the NHL season through world-class production, expert analysis and local language commentary. It’s another exciting addition as we continue to build ESPN on Disney+, bringing customers more of the world’s biggest sports”

The NHL 2026/27 season will begin on September 29th.