Netflix eyes international NFL games as part of broader live‑sports push

Netflix’s head of content, Bela Bajaria, told reporters the company remains interested in acquiring a bundle of international NFL games should the league make such a package available during its next round of media‑rights negotiations. The comments, reported by CNBC, signal that the streaming giant is still probing ways to deepen its live‑sports offering beyond the limited experiments it has run to date.

Bajaria emphasized that Netflix’s appetite is conditional on the structure of any future deal. “If a package of international games becomes part of the next rights cycle, we would be open to looking at it,” she said, adding that the streamer’s decision will hinge on the terms the NFL proposes when it revisits its contracts with broadcasters and digital platforms.

The remark comes after Netflix’s modest forays into live sports, which have included a short‑lived partnership with the NFL for Thursday Night Football in 2021 and a limited slate of European soccer matches. Those pilots showed the company can handle the technical demands of real‑time streaming, but subscriber growth from sports alone has remained elusive. Executives have therefore been testing the waters with a mix of documentary‑style sports content and occasional live events, hoping to attract a broader, more engaged audience.

The NFL’s current media‑rights agreements are set to expire in 2025, and the league is expected to launch a multi‑year negotiation process that could reshape how games are distributed globally. Competing platforms such as Amazon, Apple and traditional broadcasters are already lining up for a share of the lucrative market, which is projected to be worth billions of dollars. Netflix’s interest in an international package reflects a strategic calculation: securing rights to games played outside the United States could give the service a unique product for markets where the league is still expanding its fan base.

If Netflix were to secure a foothold in live NFL coverage, the move could have ripple effects across its subscriber base and advertising strategy. Sports content typically drives higher viewer retention and opens doors for premium ad inventory, something the company has been eager to develop as it shifts toward a more diversified revenue model. Analysts will be watching the upcoming NFL rights talks closely to see whether the streamer’s overture translates into a concrete agreement.