FIFA offloads DTC operations to DAZN, launches World Cup game with Netflix

FIFA’s move to delegate its DTC infrastructure to DAZN signals a retreat from the 'go-it-alone' streaming model in favor of leveraging established distribution hubs. By outsourcing the technological burden, FIFA can prioritize global reach and data acquisition without the overhead of platform maintenance. Simultaneously, the Netflix gaming deal validates Netflix’s cloud-gaming stickiness play, using high-profile sports IP to drive retention. This multi-partner 'Digital Football Strategy' replaces the single-partner exclusivity of the EA era, effectively fragmentation-testing the value of the FIFA brand across separate streaming, gaming, and social ecosystems. Watch for FIFA+ subscriber migration metrics and Netflix’s TV-based game engagement figures to assess the viability of this decentralized licensing model.

FIFA's multi-partner pivot reflects a broader structural shift formalizing the end of its decades-long exclusivity with EA Sports. Per Insider Gaming (May 2026), the governing body’s new strategy categorizes gaming into four distinct simulation and non-simulation quadrants, resulting in a portfolio that includes Roblox, Epic Games, and Konami. This strategy is already yielding significant engagement; FIFA Super Soccer on Roblox reportedly surpassed 10 million monthly active users, while FIFAe competitions on Konami’s eFootball generated over 1.1 billion broadcast views in 2025 (per PocketGamer.biz, June 2026).

For Netflix, the inclusion of the 'FIFA World Cup: Launch Edition' aligns with its 'cloud-first' gaming transition. During its Q4 2025 earnings call, Netflix executives noted that roughly one-third of its members had access to TV-based games, and the company plans to use high-visibility sports IP to transition users from mobile to television screens. This focus on 'reach' rather than direct revenue mirrors Netflix's broader live sports strategy, which recently included securing NFL Christmas Day doubleheaders through 2026 and acquiring media rights for the WWE (per Fox Business, May 2026).

On the broadcast front, the World Cup’s digital footprint is expanding rapidly through localized partnerships. Ampere Analysis projects that media rights for the 2026 tournament will exceed $3.8 billion, a 22% increase from 2022 (per FinanceFootball, May 2026). To capture this growth, FIFA has moved beyond traditional networks, granting platform-specific rights to streamers like CazéTV in Brazil and Zee Entertainment’s ZEE5 in India. These deals emphasize the use of 'hero content' to drive subscriber acquisition in digitally emerging markets, a goal FIFA aims to support by providing DAZN with its extensive archival library and 8,500 annual live matches.