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- DAZN to operate Fifa+ service, with 8,500 events to be shown annually in selected territories
- New ‘Fifa World Cup: The Launch Edition’ available to Netflix subscribers for free
The revamped version of the Fifa+ direct-to-consumer (DTC) streaming service is now fully integrated into DAZN’s global platform as part of a wider pre-World Cup 2026 digital push that has also seen the first non-EA Sports World Cup game in more than 30 years arrive on Netflix.
Originally launched in 2022, Fifa+ first became part of DAZN’s international platform through the broadcaster’s US$1 billion global agreement to stream the 2025 Fifa Club World Cup. However DAZN has now assumed full responsibility for operating Fifa+ as part of an expanded partnership finalised last year.
The relaunch of Fifa+ on DAZN will see around 8,500 live soccer events offered annually, alongside wide range of content from the governing body’s member associations, increasing the visibility of teams, players and tournaments worldwide.
Subscribers will also gain access to archive footage from major Fifa competitions, including past editions of the Fifa World Cup and Fifa Women’s World Cup, alongside full-match replays, highlights and curated programming. Fifa will also stream this year’s youth World Cups through the service in certain markets.
While Fifa will cede direct control of the platform, it will relieve itself of the technological burden of running it. It will also gain access to DAZN’s audience data and engagement tools to improve content reach and performance as well as the broadcaster’s tech stack. DAZN will integrate interactive features such as FanZone and live chat functionality into the platform.
The deal provides DAZN with significant content for its global offering and reinforces its position as a distribution hub for first party streaming services The platform already carries over-the-top (OTT) offerings from the International Basketball Association (Fiba), the National Hockey League (NHL) and the National Football League (NFL).
Separately, Fifa has launched its latest licensed video game ahead of the World Cup. ‘Fifa World Cup: Launch Edition’ will debut exclusively on Netflix on 11th June at no additional cost to subscribers. The game features all 48 participating nations, 16 host venues and more than 1,200 players. It supports four players on mobile devices and connected TVs.
Netflix currently supports TV gaming in 20 markets, including the US, UK and Brazil, with further expansion planned. The streamer is also expanding its World Cup programming through a partnership with Goalhanger to bring The Rest Is Football podcast to the platform during the tournament.
Delphi Interactive, which previously collaborated with IO Interactive on ‘007: First Light’, co-created the game. Fifa plans to expand the title moving forward with additional features and eventually extend support across consoles, PC and mobile devices.
The release marks Fifa’s first officially licensed game since its partnership with EA Sports ended in 2022 after the parties failed to agree new commercial terms. It was understood that EA considered Fifa’s proposed licensing terms too restrictive, while Fifa is understood to have wanted to double its licensing fee of US$1 billion.
Although Fifa has released several online and mobile titles since then, ‘Fifa World Cup: Launch Edition’ represents its return to the simulation genre. Meanwhile, EA has rebranded its franchise as ‘EA FC’ and plans to introduce an unofficial World Cup mode through an EA FC 26 update called ‘The World’s Game’.
The launch forms part of Fifa’s new ‘Digital Football Strategy’, which was unveiled last week. The governing body believes a multi-partner ecosystem will expand its reach and relevance across gaming genres, platforms and audiences.
Fifa has already partnered with Konami’s eFootball for the Fifae World Cup and maintains a licensing and esports agreement with Sports Interactive’s ‘Football Manager’, whose mobile version is also available through Netflix.
The DAZN and Netflix partnerships now illustrate Fifa’s push to build a broader digital ecosystem spanning content distribution, gaming and fan engagement.
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