Netflix acquires 2030 World Cup broadcast rights in Spain and Andorra

Netflix said Tuesday it has acquired the broadcast rights to the 2030 World Cup for audiences in Spain and Andorra, covering all 104 matches of the tournament. Reuters reported that the deal represents the first time the streaming service would carry a major international men's competition in Spain. The 2030 World Cup is being co-hosted by Spain, Portugal and Morocco.

Spanish-language outlets, including OneFootball and Vermouth Deportivo, described the agreement as an exclusive acquisition of audiovisual rights for the two countries. Under the arrangement, some matches — among them games involving Spain's national team — are set to remain available free on television. The free-to-air broadcaster that would carry those fixtures has not yet been confirmed.

The deal is a significant move in Netflix's push into live sports, according to Vermouth Deportivo. The platform has been expanding beyond on-demand entertainment, and the World Cup represents one of the largest live events it would carry in the Spanish market.

Spain arrives at the 2030 tournament as the defending world champion and a co-host. GOAL noted that the Spanish side, coached by Luis de la Fuente, won the 2026 World Cup staged in the United States, adding to the domestic interest in the next edition.

Attention now turns to how the split between streaming and free-to-air coverage will work in practice. With the identity of the open-air broadcaster still unresolved, viewers in Spain and Andorra do not yet know which matches will require a Netflix subscription.