Netflix: 2026 World Baseball Classic (MLB), first event broadcast live on the platform in Japan

The streaming platform Netflix has acquired the exclusive broadcasting rights in Japan for the 2026 edition of the World Baseball Classic (WBC), announced Major League Baseball, co-organiser of the event with the Major League Baseball Players Association, on 26/08/2025.

This will be the first sporting event to be broadcast live on Netflix in Japan. The platform will broadcast the 47 games scheduled for the competition, which will be held in Japan, Puerto Rico and the United States from 05 to 17/03/2026. Japan has also won the WBC three times (2006, 2009 and 2023) since its inception in 2006.

"Netflix brings proven expertise in delivering world-class sports content, including major events in partnership with WWE and the NFL. Through these successful live streaming events, Netflix has established itself as a home for sports fans around the globe," said MLB. The TV rights to the North American league are also held in Japan by the NHK group (free-TV), J Sports (pay-TV), SpoTV (pay-TV) and the Abema platform.