Netflix is set to deliver an unforgettable Christmas to sports fans by exclusively streaming two high-profile National Football League (NFL) games on December 25, 2024. For the first time, the platform will showcase these marquee matchups: the Super Bowl LVIII champions, the Kansas City Chiefs, taking on the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the Baltimore Ravens battling the Houston Texans. This marks a significant expansion of Netflix’s live sports content.
Live Performances to Add Festive Flair
The Christmas Day NFL games will be packed with entertainment, beginning with Mariah Carey’s holiday performance of her classic "All I Want for Christmas Is You. The Ravens-Texans game will also include a special performance by Grammy-winning group Pentatonix.
Beyoncé will headline the halftime show, performing live from her hometown of Houston, where she will debut songs from her latest album, Cowboy Carter.
How to View National Football League (NFL) Christmas Games on Netflix
To catch the live action, viewers must log into their Netflix accounts, as the NFL games will be accessible to all Netflix subscribers worldwide. The games will also be broadcast locally in each team's home and away market, and fans can stream the action via NFL+ on mobile devices.
Schedule of NFL Christmas Day Games on Netflix:
1:00 PM ET: Kansas City Chiefs vs. Pittsburgh Steelers 4:30 PM ET: Baltimore Ravens vs. Houston Texans
Limited Viewing Availability and Streaming Challenges
While Netflix’s Christmas Day games will be available to subscribers in over 190 countries, there are some viewing limitations. In the U.S., the games will expire three hours after the live broadcast ends. International viewers will have a 24-hour window to watch the games after the livestream.
Netflix has learned from past streaming challenges. The platform faced issues with its live stream during the November 14 fight between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson, where nearly 85,000 viewers experienced outages. With the high volume of viewers expected for the NFL games, especially during Beyoncé's halftime performance, Netflix is determined to avoid any technical hiccups.
Expanding Netflix’s Sports Footprint
This move marks a bold step for Netflix as it ventures into live sports broadcasting. The streaming giant is already positioning itself as a go-to destination for sports fans, having secured the rights of U.S. broadcasting the year 2027 & 2031 FIFA Womens World Cup. Netflix is also preparing to launch its partnership with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) in January 2024, with "Monday Night Raw" moving to the platform.
The NFL Christmas Day games will be a major part of this strategy, drawing an even wider audience. With about 282.3 million subscribers universally, Netflix will broadcast the games to viewers in as many as 190 countries, making this the first-time that one outlet will distribute an NFL game worldwide.
Global Reach and Viewership Expectations
The NFL Christmas games on Netflix will be the largest sports streaming event for the platform to date. Comparitively, the most-viewed NFL game streamed exclusively on a service was the AFC wild-card game between the Miami Dolphins & Kansas City Chiefs on Peacock, which generated 23 million viewers. Netflix is expected to surpass that, given its extensive subscriber base and the global appeal of the games.
Nielsen will track the ratings for the Christmas Day games, with initial figures expected by the afternoon of December 26.
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