YouTube has already established itself as a trusted distributor of NFL action. Now, it’s looking to expand its coverage on the gridiron.
The home of NFL Sunday Ticket is one of the media companies bidding on an NFL broadcast package centered around a September 5, 2025 matchup that will take place in São Paulo, Brazil. The Los Angeles Chargers will be the home team at the Arena Corinthians, and there are rumors that their opponent will be one of their division rivals — the reigning AFC-champion Kansas City Chiefs.
The list of reported bidders includes Warner Bros. Discovery and Amazon, but Sports Business Journal reported that YouTube is a “favorite” to land the deal. The NFL debuted its Brazilian slate last season, when the Green Bay Packers met the Philadelphia Eagles in front of more than 45,000 fans at Arena Corinthians.
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Thanks to YouTube’s status as the home of NFL Sunday Ticket, it has earned the respect of football fans, who access the platform on Sundays to enjoy a full slate of gridiron action. Those games, however, are CBS and FOX broadcasts that are distributed via YouTube. Should YouTube win the rights to the 2025 Brazil matchup, it would get the opportunity to build its own NFL broadcast from the ground up.
For a platform that is eager to grow its profile in the world of sports, an exclusive broadcast would be a massive coup. YouTube could use its NFL slate to drive more subscribers to its Premium product. Amazon’s Thursday Night Football broadcasts have certainly helped its Prime numbers.
YouTube would also have the option to go in an entirely different direction with a free, ad-supported NFL broadcast that would be open to any viewer. That would be a break from traditional football broadcast strategies — and an olive branch to the frustrated fans who have to buy multiple subscriptions if they want to watch their favorite team play. That unique approach would leverage YouTube’s existing ad infrastructure, which has more in common with networks like CBS and FOX than sometimes-ad-free streamers like Peacock (where last year’s Brazil game was broadcast).
There’s also a creator-related wrinkle to consider. YouTube has been huge in Brazil for much of its history, and it could use the São Paulo game as an overture to that community. Given the increasing interconnectedness between pro athletes and creators, it wouldn’t be surprising if YouTube eschewed a typical announcing team in favor of an influencer-led broadcast. Deestroying and Haley Kalil would make for a great play-by-play/color commentary duo.
At this point, these ideas are pure speculation, but an announcement related to the Brazil game will likely come within the next month. Sports Business Journal noted that the Amazon, Warner Bros Discovery, and YouTube upfronts are all scheduled for the week of May 12, the same week in which the NFL is expected to announce its 2025 schedule. If YouTube does land the rights it reportedly covets, we could be in for a blockbuster Brandcast this year.
