YouTube first gets live NFL game video giant
More sports are breaking into the streaming space: YouTube NABBED's exclusive rights in the 2025 season marks the first time that the video platform will be broadcasting all of NFL games for free. The deal is based on a YouTube deal as the NFL’s premium package for Sunday Ticketing.
YouTube will play it to most users on YouTube and YouTube TV on September 5, 2025 in the NFL on Friday night in São Paulo, Brazil. (On YouTube in Canada, the NFL will reach an existing streaming agreement with Bell Canada and will be in darkness in several other countries.
In February, the NFL announced that it would play a week at the Corinthians Arena in Sao Paulo, Brazil, with the 2025 international game with the Los Angeles Charger as the designated team. Charger rivals will be announced Wednesday, May 14, when the 2025 NFL is scheduled to be released at 8 p.m. ET.
YouTube's amount is not disclosed as the right to the game in Week 1. But the NFL is still the hottest merchandise on TV: 45 of the 100 TV broadcasts watched in the United States last year were NFL games, including the entire top ten of Nelson.
The NFL and YouTube have been media partners for years, but starting the 2023-24 season, YouTube became a partnership that began with YouTube becoming the exclusive retailer at the box office on Sunday. According to a seven-year Sunday ticket deal, Google reportedly pays over $2 billion in the NFL each year. Sunday tickets include access to all markets on CBS and FOX for sale on Sunday regular season NFL games (based on audience positions).
The NFL has been steadily providing media rights to live games to expand its reach to young fans and audiences overseas. Netflix had two Christmas games last year, including Beyoncé's buzzing midfielder and received another Christmas double header in 2025. Additionally, Amazon's Prime Video will be part of a “Thursday Night Football” (the Amazon currently running in the 2033 season) deal in the upcoming December 25 football game. Prime Video also hosted a wildcard game in January 2026 and will show “Black Friday Football” the day after Thanksgiving, the Chicago Bears of the Philadelphia Eagles.
“We are excited to expand our relationship with YouTube to bring this year’s Brazilian game to global audiences,” said Hans Schroeder, vice president of media distribution at NFL. “For several years, YouTube and YouTube TV have been incredible partners in the NFL and have a huge global presence and we look forward to our first week in Sao Paulo.”
“Playing Friday night’s game to fans around the world will mark YouTube’s first time as a live NFL broadcaster, and we will only be able to do that with the creators of the interactive viewing experience and experience center,” said Mary Ellen Coe, YouTube’s chief business officer.
According to YouTube, in 2024, users spent more than 350 million hours watching official NFL content on YouTube.
In addition to gaining the rights to the Week 1 game, YouTube has signed a multi-year contract with the NFL to compete in the annual Super Bowl flag football game, which includes creators and artists, and offers other international flag football games. They joined forces to participate in the first live flag football match held this year at Super Bowl Lix in New Orleans, which received over 6 million live landscapes on the NFL’s YouTube channel and participating creators, athletes and artists including Ishowspeed, Kai Cenat, Jason Kelce, Jason Kelce, Michael Vick, Newton, Quavo and Jordton, Quavo and Jordan, jordan, jordan, jordan, and Ishowspeed.
The NFL launched its official channel on YouTube for the first time in 2015 and now has more than 14 million subscribers. The channel has clips, highlights, game day compilation and exclusive original content series.
Above: La Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert in the NFL game against the Arizona Cardinals on October 21, 2024 in Glendale, Arizona.