Observed Signal · Oct 2, 2025 · Rights Acquisition · Source: State of Streaming · Impact: 3/5 · Sentiment: Positive
Netflix Secures 2026 World Baseball Classic Rights in Japan
Netflix has acquired exclusive streaming rights to the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC) in Japan from Major League Baseball, marking Netflix's first live-event broadcast in the Japanese market. The deal advances Netflix's broader strategy to add high-profile live sports and event programming to its platform. The article cites Japan's strong baseball viewership—highlighted by the 2023 tournament and stars like Shohei Ohtani—and includes comments from Kaata Sakamoto, Netflix’s VP of Content in Japan, and MLB Deputy Commissioner Noah Garden about the partnership's goals.
Adds premium live sports inventory to a major streaming platform in a key market (Japan), impacting CTV ad inventory, advertiser planning, and Netflix's live-sports strategy.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Netflix secured exclusive rights to stream the 2026 World Baseball Classic in Japan.
- The rights deal was made with Major League Baseball (MLB).
- This will be Netflix's first live-event broadcast in Japan.
- Kaata Sakamoto, Netflix VP of Content in Japan, said the goal is to bring a "new kind of viewing experience" to Japanese homes.
- MLB Deputy Commissioner Noah Garden described the deal as a way to honor baseball's tradition while embracing modern platforms.
Connected Companies & Entities
3 Entities mappedRelated Market Signals & Shifts
Recent verified developments and strategic activity across this market segment.
Netflix Expands Japan Slate with Toho Deal, Live Baseball
Netflix announced a major push into Japan with an expanded production deal with Toho Studios to double its local production footprint and capacity to produce up to 15 live-action titles per year. The streamer also deepened anime partnerships by co-developing projects with MAPPA and unveiled a live-action slate led by a sci-fi reboot, Human Vapor. Crucially, Netflix secured exclusive Japanese streaming rights to all 2026 World Baseball Classic games in Japan, marking its first local live sports broadcast in the market. The moves follow record-high viewing for Netflix’s Japanese content and aim to strengthen the company’s position in Japan’s competitive entertainment market through increased production infrastructure, high-demand IP, and live sports acquisition.
Netflix Secures FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada Rights
Netflix has secured exclusive Canadian broadcast rights for the FIFA Women’s World Cup editions in 2027 and 2031, extending its push into live sports alongside existing U.S. deals. The 2027 tournament will be a 32-team event in Brazil and the 2031 edition will be expanded to 48 teams. Netflix says broadcasts will include English and French feeds in Canada (and English and Spanish feeds in the U.S.), all available with standard subscription plans. The company plans complementary shoulder programming — studio shows and documentary series — to build narrative around the tournaments. Netflix CCO Bela Bajaria cited strong demand for women’s sports as a driver. The deal follows other sports rights moves by Netflix, including agreements for WWE Raw and annual NFL Christmas Day games.
Netflix Signals Interest in 2030 World Cup Rights
Netflix has expressed interest in acquiring the U.S. media rights for the 2030 FIFA World Cup, as confirmed by Chief Content Officer Bela Bajaria. This would pit the streaming giant against Disney, Amazon, NBCUniversal, and other major broadcasters in a bidding war. The 2030 tournament, spanning six countries, is expected to fetch between $1.5 and $2 billion for U.S. rights, potentially rising to $4 billion if bundled with the 2034 World Cup. Netflix's interest aligns with its strategy of securing high-profile 'eventy' sports, such as MLB and NFL games, to attract large audiences without long-season commitments. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr has also weighed in, advocating for the event to remain on free over-the-air TV, adding a regulatory dimension to the negotiations.
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