Netflix’s Australia Game Ties YouTube’s NFL Numbers From Brazil
The subscription streaming service posted an increase in global viewership.
Netflix secured an identical U.S. audience last week as YouTube did during an NFL game in Week 1 of the season, though the similarities end there. The San Francisco 49ers-Rams matchup drew 18.5 million viewers on Netflix in the U.S. and an additional 3.2 million internationally. The domestic figure mirrored the 2025 NFL season opening game on YouTube between the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers, which also took place in Brazil.
However, the Thursday night slot for the Melbourne game set it apart from the Brazil game's Friday time slot last year. In contrast to YouTube's free, unregulated viewership, Netflix utilized Nielsen's standard audience measurement.
The international viewership of 3.2 million for Netflix's game significantly outpaced the 1.2 million international viewers who watched the Chiefs-Chargers match the previous year. This increase highlighted the NFL's expanding global reach. Additionally, the diverse geographic distribution of viewers – from over 200 countries and territories – underscored the growing international appeal of American football.
The 49ers-Rams contest's audience figure came on the heels of a disappointing start to the NFL season, with the Patriots-Seahawks kickoff game on NBC experiencing an 11% drop in viewership.
Although Netflix and the NFL likely harbored higher expectations, the match's performance signaled a solid kickoff for the season. The Thursday night slot, competing with other sporting events, such as the US Open's women's semifinals, MLB's playoff race baseball, and a college football game, demonstrated the strength of the program.
Nevertheless, the Christmas Day doubleheader from last year averaged 23.7 million viewers in the U.S. Looking ahead, Netflix's Australia NFL game package will feature a Thanksgiving Eve game between the Los Angeles Rams and Green Bay Packers, followed by a Christmas doubleheader and a Week 18 playoff-bound game.
Written by urgent.news from Front Office Sports's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
