Netflix announced Friday that it has secured exclusive rights to the 2027 and 2031 FIFA Women’s World Cup in the United States.

The announcement comes just days before Netflix is ​​set to stream its first National League Football Christmas games. The addition of the Women’s World Cup to its portfolio shows that the streaming giant is continuing to expand its sports rights portfolio. This is also because the popularity of women’s sports has increased in the last year.

“I’ve seen the fan base for the FIFA Women’s World Cup grow tremendously – from the electric atmosphere in France in 2019 to the incredible energy in Australia and New Zealand in 2023,” said Bela Bajaria, Chief Content Officer of Netflix press release. “Bringing this iconic tournament to Netflix isn’t just about streaming games – it’s about celebrating the players, culture and passion that are driving the rise of women’s sports around the world.”

The 2027 tournament is scheduled to take place in 12 cities across Brazil. The host country of the 2031 tournament is yet to be announced.

Netflix said its coverage of the Women’s World Cup will include commentary and entertainment from studio shows and high-profile talent, as well as Netflix original documentaries about key players and the sport’s rapidly growing fan base in the lead-up to the tournament.

The Women’s World Cup continues to grow in popularity, with more people in the United States watching the women’s final in 2019 than the men’s final in 2018. However, viewership in the United States dropped significantly in 2023 after the two-time defending champions were eliminated was in the round of 16.

As viewership of the WNBA and the women’s national soccer team in the United States has increased significantly, soccer remains one of the most popular sports worldwide.

Netflix has 282.7 million members worldwide and the streamer is driving its international growth, among other things, through its cheaper, ad-supported version.

The valuation of sports media rights for media companies has also exploded as live sports attract the largest audience.

Netflix has continued to grow in the sports category, streaming a fight between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul last month that was watched by 108 million people, making it the most-streamed sporting event of all time, according to Netflix.

On Christmas Day, the streamer will cover the NFL doubleheader with the Kansas City Chiefs against the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Baltimore Ravens against the Houston Texans.