Netflix in US deal with FIFA to show Women's World Cups

Netflix has grabbed exclusive live US rights to broadcast the 2027 and 2031 Women's World Cups.

Soccer's governing body FIFA said on Friday that the Women's World Cup will be the first tournament to be acquired in full by the streaming giants.

"As a marquee brand and FIFA's new long-term partner, Netflix has shown a very strong level of commitment to growing women's football," FIFA President Gianni Infantino said in a statement.

The 2027 Women's World Cup is set to be played in Brazil between June 24 and July 25, the first time the tournament will be held in South America. The 2031 edition's hosts are yet to be decided by the FIFA Congress.

Apart from live coverage, Netflix will also produce a documentary series in the lead-up to both tournaments.

The deal is the latest in Netflix's embrace of sports, as the streaming service looks to build on its strategy of providing proprietary content that viewers cannot find elsewhere.

Netflix said more than 100 million people worldwide tuned in to watch a fight between retired great Mike Tyson and social media influencer-turned-boxer Jake Paul last month.

It's also screening two live NFL games for the first time on Christmas Day.

Tense negotiations over television deals for the 2023 tournament in Australia and New Zealand nearly led to it being blacked out in some countries, as FIFA sold the broadcast rights for the women's competition separately from the men's for the first time.

The tournament, which culminated in the blockbuster finale between England and Spain, went on to attract record viewership, with 12 million in the UK tuning in to BBC coverage for the final.