Netflix to broadcast 2030 World Cup in Spain: key details of the deal

Netflix has made a major move in the Spanish broadcasting market. The streaming company announced on Tuesday that it has secured exclusive rights for Spain and Andorra to the 2030 FIFA World Cup, the tournament jointly hosted by Spain, Portugal and Morocco, with Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay staging the centenary opening matches. The platform will provide live coverage of all 104 games at a competition that returns to Spanish soil for the first time since the 1982 World Cup.

What the Netflix 2030 World Cup agreement includes

The deal covers comprehensive tournament coverage. Netflix will broadcast every match live and will build a dedicated programming schedule designed for Spanish audiences. There will be studio shows before each game, at halftime and after the final whistle, along with a daily highlights programme on matchdays and content aimed at building excitement in the run-up to the tournament.

Free-to-air matches: how to watch without a subscription

The broadcasting model combines subscription streaming with free-to-air television. Netflix has confirmed that one match from each round of fixtures will be available free of charge in Spain. The company will also offer a national free-to-air broadcaster a package that includes every Spain match, both semifinals and the final, a structure intended to reach the widest possible audience across the country.

Further details about the collaboration with a free-to-air network for selected matches will be announced at a later stage.

Why Spain matches must be shown on free television

That requirement is not a voluntary concession from Netflix but a legal obligation. Spain national team matches are classified as events of general interest and must be aired on free-to-air television under Law 21/1997, which regulates the broadcasting of sporting competitions and events.

The official catalogue of general-interest events is updated regularly and notified to the European Commission within the framework of Spain's General Audiovisual Communication Law. On that list, senior national football team matches are non-negotiable, as are other major sporting occasions featuring Spanish representatives at the Summer and Winter Olympics, the opening and closing ceremonies, and the Formula One and MotoGP grands prix held in Spain.

Netflix and FIFA strengthen their growing partnership

The agreement extends a relationship that was already in place. While the awarding of the men's World Cup rights came as a surprise in Spain, Netflix already held the US and Canadian rights to the 2027 and 2031 editions of the FIFA Women's World Cup. With this move, the platform strengthens its commitment to live football and positions itself as a significant player in the business of major sporting events.

What Netflix and FIFA said about the 2030 World Cup deal

Few events bring people together like a World Cup. This year, I was in the stadium when Spain lifted the trophy and experienced first-hand the passion, the pride and the stories that become part of a country's culture and live on in the memory for generations. Now that Spain is going to be one of the host countries in 2030, we are absolutely thrilled to bring every match to fans in Spain and Andorra.

Bela Bajaria, Netflix's chief content officer, celebrated the announcement with those words, placing the company at the centre of the biggest sporting event Spain will host in the next decade. She referred to Spain's triumph at the 2023 Women's World Cup as evidence of the emotional connection the sport creates in the country.

FIFA secretary general Mattias Grafström welcomed the continuation of a partnership the governing body sees as key to bringing football closer to more fans. Grafström described the 2030 edition as a very special tournament because of its three-nation hosting split across Europe and Africa and the commemorative matches in South America, highlighting the shared goal of broadening access to the excitement of the competition in Spain and Andorra.

What to expect from the 2030 World Cup and its hosts

The 2030 World Cup will feature an unprecedented format to mark the tournament's centenary. Spain, Portugal and Morocco will serve as the main hosts, while Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay will stage the first three matches as a tribute to the inaugural 1930 edition held in Montevideo. It will be the first World Cup spread across three continents and six countries.

• Netflix will stream all 104 matches of the 2030 World Cup exclusively in Spain and Andorra.
• One match per round will be available free of charge in Spain.
• A free-to-air broadcaster will show every Spain match, both semifinals and the final.
• Spain national team games are events of general interest and must be shown free-to-air by law.
• The deal extends Netflix's FIFA partnership after the 2027 and 2031 Women's World Cup rights in North America.