Major League Baseball announced Wednesday it is partnering with Netflix. The league is moving beyond documentaries to live game coverage under a three-year media rights agreement covering the 2026-2028 seasons.
Netflix has previously collaborated with MLB on Emmy Award-winning documentaries including The Turnaround and The Comeback: 2004 Boston Red Sox, as well as the eight-part docuseries The Clubhouse. It now adds marquee live events to its more than 90 million U.S. and Canadian subscribers and over 300 million globally.
The streaming service will feature several high-profile games each season. Opening Night will begin with a single matchup preceding the traditional slate of Opening Day games. In 2026, the New York Yankees will face the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday, March 25th.
Netflix will also become the new home of the T-Mobile Home Run Derby. The event, traditionally held the day before the All-Star Game. It will take place at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia in 2026.
Bela Bajaria, Netflix’s Chief Content Officer, emphasized the platform’s commitment to expanding its sports footprint. “We are incredibly thankful for our partnership with Major League Baseball,” Bajaria said. “We started with critically-acclaimed documentaries, deepening the existing global passion for baseball. Now, we are seizing that moment by bringing massive cultural spectacles. From Opening Night to the Home Run Derby—directly to our members, reinforcing Netflix as the ultimate home for both the story and the sport.”
In addition, the streaming service will host an annual MLB special event game. Beginning with the MLB at Field of Dreams matchup on August 13, 2026, featuring the Twins against the Phillies in Dyersville, Iowa.
Further extending its global reach, Netflix will exclusively stream all 47 games of the 2026 World Baseball Classic live and on-demand in Japan. MLB Network’s production team and Netflix’s in-house team are teaming up to produce all live game broadcasts.
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred, Jr. praised the agreement as a step forward in reaching fans worldwide. “These partnerships build on MLB’s growing momentum,” he said, noting the league’s recent surge in viewership and the global interest generated by generational stars and innovative rules.
By integrating live events alongside its acclaimed documentaries. Netflix is positioning itself as a unique platform for fans seeking both the narrative and action of baseball. The partnership marks a significant evolution in the streaming landscape for live sports.
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