ICC Reportedly Invites Netflix to Bid for Cricket Broadcast Rights — And the Streaming Game Might Never Be the Same
In a move that feels equal parts bold, surprising, and very 2026, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has reportedly sent an invitation to Netflix to enter the bidding ring for global cricket broadcast rights starting with the T20 World Cup in February 2026. Yes, you read that right — the same platform that brought us Stranger Things, Squid Game, and a never-ending carousel of true-crime docuseries might soon be your go-to spot for T20 sixes and Super Overs.
If Netflix does decide to throw its red “N” hat into the ring, it would mark one of the biggest shakeups in sports broadcasting since every major league realized streaming money spends just as well (if not better) than cable money.
Until now, Netflix has stayed famously allergic to live sports, preferring carefully curated sports docuseries like Drive to Survive, the Beckham doc, and the tennis-focused Break Point. But with competitors like Amazon Prime Video already dabbling in cricket and other sports, and Disney’s Hotstar still riding the wave of massive South Asian cricket viewership, the timing couldn’t be more interesting.
Industry insiders have been whispering for months that Netflix has been flirting with the idea of dipping a toe into the world of live events. And let’s be honest — if you’re going to jump into live sports, cricket is one of the juiciest, loudest, and most fiercely loyal fan bases on the planet. The T20 World Cup alone can move viewership numbers that make even Hollywood blockbusters look modest.
For the ICC, extending the invitation is a smart, strategic nudge. Netflix brings global reach, tech reliability, and a fan base that binge-watches at Olympic levels. Cricket could instantly reach audiences who’ve never so much as watched a Powerplay, while giving existing fans a super convenient streaming hub — assuming Netflix can navigate time zones, commentary, multilingual coverage, and the chaos that is cricket Twitter.
Of course, none of this is a done deal yet. Netflix could still decide it prefers showing cricketers in glossy documentaries instead of live on the field. But if they do jump in?
Let’s just say 2026 might be the year cricket officially levels up into the next era of global entertainment — binge-worthy, streamable, and possibly sitting right between your weekend drama marathon and your guilty-pleasure reality TV.
