By the Numbers: How World Cup Fever Took Over Netflix

It’s been two weeks since the final whistle blew, but we’re still thinking about all the epic moments from the FIFA 2026 Men’s World Cup™. While it’s still another year until our broadcast of the 2027 Women’s World Cup in the US and Canada, fans couldn’t contain their excitement. Across series, films, documentaries, talk shows and games, our football slate lit up right alongside the tournament:

Fandom By the Numbers

The global football slate was stacked this year, with amazing selections from around the world, like Brazil ’70: The Third Star, México 86, Colombia’s James, and Norway: The Dark Horse, as well as the official FIFA World Cup: Launch Edition video game, where you can star in your own World Cup story.

In May alone, weekly views of Netflix’s football titles more than doubled (over 250%) compared to weekly views in January through April.

Views of Ronaldinho: The One and Only jumped 34% in Brazil in the hours after his halftime appearance.

As Norway’s run caught fire, Norway: The Dark Horse “rowed” its way to the #1 title in Norway in its first week on service. The series remained in Norway’s Top 10 throughout the entire tournament.

The Rest Is Football: Checking in Like Friends

Gary Lineker, Micah Richards and Alan Shearer delivered a daily fix of banter, analysis and hot takes throughout the tournament — becoming a ritual for fans checking in between matches. Episodes reached the weekly Top 10 in the UK, and the show’s already been renewed at Netflix for the 2026–27 Premier League season.

Game On: Inside the Official FIFA Game

This World Cup, we invited fans to star in their own match with the FIFA World Cup: Launch Edition game. Members could feel the thrill of the pitch instantly, playing for their country and stepping into real-life stadiums as the world’s best athletes. During the World Cup window, it was the #1 most-played Netflix game. Even after the final whistle of the championship, fans came back to the game in force — surging more than 40% above normal.

And which teams were most popular in FIFA World Cup: Launch Edition ? Brazil took the lead, with Mexico and Argentina close behind. Players in Brazil were most likely to choose their home country, unlike in the US, where most players chose to play as Argentina:

In the game, players can upgrade their favorite soccer stars using in-game currency that boosts attributes and unlocks new skill moves. From Vinícius Júnior in Brazil to Raúl Jiménez in Mexico, most gamers chose a hometown hero except for the US, where players spent most of their upgrades on Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo.

And after teams won a real-life match, their fandoms flocked to the game, choosing to play as the winning team more than 2x as often as before.

What’s Next: The World Cup Comes to Netflix

The FIFA Women’s World Cup™ arrives on Netflix in the US and Canada from June 24 to July 25, 2027. Join the countdown and follow along on TUDUM.