Netflix Expands NFL Coverage With Holiday Games Through 2026

Netflix is deepening its foothold in American football, building on last year's record-breaking Christmas Day broadcasts with a bigger slate of games and original programming stretching from Week 1 through the holiday season. The streaming giant opened the new campaign with a statement fixture: a divisional clash between the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers, broadcast live and globally from the Melbourne Cricket Ground, underscoring the NFL's growing appetite for international showcases.

The expansion continues into the holidays. Netflix will stream the league's first-ever Thanksgiving Eve game on November 25, with the Green Bay Packers travelling to face the Rams at SoFi Stadium. It's a scheduling innovation that reflects how aggressively the NFL and its streaming partners are experimenting with the calendar to capture new viewing windows and younger, cord-cutting audiences. 360 inr apk download old version uptodown

Christmas Day remains the centerpiece. Netflix will again carry a doubleheader on Dec. 25, starting with the Packers at the Chicago Bears from Soldier Field at 1 p.m. ET, followed by the Buffalo Bills visiting the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High at 4:30 p.m. ET. Last year's Christmas broadcast, featuring the Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings, became the most-streamed NFL regular-season game in U.S. history - a benchmark that has clearly encouraged Netflix to lean further into the holiday window rather than treat it as a one-off experiment.

Five Games, Global Reach

In total, Netflix will stream five regular-season NFL games in 2026, distributed to subscribers in more than 200 countries. Crucially, these broadcasts will also run on local, over-the-air television in the markets of the participating teams, ensuring the games remain accessible beyond paywalls in home cities - a hybrid approach that balances streaming ambition with traditional broadcast reach.

Original Programming Builds the Brand

Beyond live games, Netflix continues investing in NFL storytelling. The documentary series returns on July 14 with a cast including Jayden Daniels, Baker Mayfield, Cam Ward, and Joe Flacco, chronicling the pressures and rhythms of a quarterback's season. The Dallas Cowboys' sprawling legacy gets dual treatment: America's Sweethearts: Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders follows the demanding audition process, while America's Team: The Gambler and His Cowboys revisits the franchise's 1990s dynasty years. The Emmy-nominated Elway completes the collection, tracing John Elway's path from Hall of Fame quarterback to Denver Broncos general manager.

Part of a Broader Sports Push

The NFL expansion sits within a wider Netflix sports strategy that has included live baseball from Japan between the New York Yankees and San Francisco Giants, high-profile boxing from the United Kingdom, and weekly live sports programming. The platform also made its mixed martial arts debut on May 16 with a marquee bout between combat veterans. Looking further ahead, Netflix has secured exclusive broadcast rights for a major event in the United States and Canada for the summers of 2027 and 2031, alongside a separate rights agreement in Mexico - signalling that football is just one piece of a much larger live-sports ambition.