When you buy through affiliate links in our content, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Learn 
Netflix has struck a deal with the NFL to stream live football games on Christmas Day for three years, starting with two matches this year.
The arrangement will have Netflix present at least one live NFL game each holiday from now through 2026. Details of the 2024 matchups should be available once the league shares the season schedule today (May 15th) at 8PM Eastern.
This isn’t the first time Netflix has collaborated with the organization. It released the series Quarterback last year, and this year is sharing a Receiver documentary series.
This is the first time Netflix has teamed up with a professional sports league on live games, however, and represents a significant expansion of the company’s livestreaming plans. To date, it has largely experimented with live comedy specials, reality TV, and non-match sports events like the Tom Brady roast.
The strategy isn’t surprising. Like many streaming services, Netflix needs reasons for subscribers to keep coming back. Live NFL games could be strong incentives for viewers to tune in to Netflix, especially if they’re not available on competing platforms.
The company is relatively late to live major league sports. Amazon has run its Thursday Night Football for a while. Apple TV+ has Friday Night Baseball and MLS Season Pass, while Paramount+ has both live NFL games (via CBS) as well as some top-tier soccer leagues.
This is just one part of a multi-format approach at Netflix, however. It has ventured into areas like in-house mobile- and TV-based games where Amazon and Apple are limited to offering third-party titles. Netflix is betting that users will have multiple incentives to stay beyond its usual on-demand videos.
