Fox has secured two additional NFL games that were previously slated for YouTube, a significant expansion of its broadcast schedule that includes the first-ever tripleheader on a single network. Fox CEO Lachlan Murdoch confirmed the move on an earnings call Monday, describing it as an extension of a partnership that has spanned more than 30 years.
Historic tripleheader and a Saturday slot
The centrepiece of the new arrangement is a historic tripleheader on Sunday, November 15, when Fox will air three consecutive NFL games. The first of those will be an international contest from Munich, Germany, featuring the Detroit Lions, with kick-off scheduled for 9:30 a.m. ET. It marks the first time a single broadcaster has shown three NFL games on the same day. The second additional game secured by Fox will be played on a Saturday afternoon in Week 15, giving the network a prime December slot usually reserved for exclusive national windows.
The games were part of a five-game package that had been widely expected to go to YouTube. According to reports, YouTube had emerged as the favourite earlier this year but balked at sharing the package with Netflix, prompting the league to split the rights. Netflix walked away with the remaining three games, giving the streaming platform a total of five standalone games for the 2026 season. The redistribution follows ESPN’s decision to relinquish four Monday Night Football doubleheaders as part of its deal to acquire NFL Network — those games, along with an international game from Australia, were initially earmarked for YouTube before the league pivoted.
NFL’s fragmentation strategy under scrutiny
The aggressive bidding war highlights the NFL’s ongoing strategy of distributing its media rights across a growing number of platforms, including streaming services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime and Peacock. While the league argues that 87 per cent of games remain available on free, over-the-air television, the shift has drawn criticism from politicians and triggered investigations by the Department of Justice and the Federal Communications Commission into potential anti-competitive behaviour. The league defends its approach by insisting that a pooled negotiation model prevents even greater fragmentation and keeps consumer costs in check.
Murdoch, for his part, sought to downplay any tension with the NFL, saying the relationship remains “mutually beneficial.” Fox’s current media rights deal runs through the 2033 season and is valued at approximately $2.25 billion annually, including rights to four Super Bowls. The agreement also expanded Fox’s digital rights, allowing NFL programming on its ad-supported streaming service Tubi. Fox has indicated it would like to “broaden and deepen” its partnership with the league, but any extension would have to be disciplined and create shareholder value. The contract includes an opt-out clause that could be triggered after the 2029-30 season. Notably, Fox will not extend its Thursday Night Football contract beyond its expiration after the 2022 season.
The increasing value of sports rights is underscored by the NBA’s recent $76 billion deal, and the NFL’s domestic broadcast agreements are worth an estimated $110 billion, expiring in 2032 with a league opt-out in 2029. The NFL’s strategy has driven significant viewership growth, with 96 of the top 100 rated TV broadcasts in 2023 being NFL games.
.@POTUS on NFL broadcasts: "They could be killing the golden goose… They're making a lot of money; they could make a little bit less. You have people that live for Sunday. They can't think about anything else, and then all of the sudden they have to pay $1,000? It's crazy." pic.twitter.com/WUKKPeZoyo
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) May 10, 2026
The international game in Munich continues the NFL’s long-running expansion abroad, which began with exhibition games in the 1970s and 1980s. The first regular-season game outside the United States was held in Mexico City in 2005, and the NFL International Series officially launched in 2007 with a game at London’s Wembley Stadium. Games have since been played in Germany, Mexico, Ireland, and Spain, with future contests planned for Australia and France. The Detroit Lions, who hold marketing rights in Germany, previously played international games in London in 2014 and 2015. The appetite for such games is evident: 800,000 people queued for tickets to a Germany game in 2022.
Trump warns of ‘killing the golden goose’
The league’s move toward streaming has drawn sharp words from President Donald Trump, who broke his silence on the federal investigation into media rights in an interview on Full Measure on Sunday. “It’s tough. You’ve got people that love football. They don’t make enough money to go and pay for this,” Trump told Sharyl Attkisson. “And they [the NFL] could be killing the golden goose.”
The President warned the league’s leadership to tread carefully, stating: “Others have tried this, and all of a sudden you don’t have a sport anymore. There’s something very sad when they take football away from many, many people. Very sad. I don’t like it.” He questioned why the league is squeezing fans, noting: “They’re making a lot of money. They could make a little bit less. They could let the people see.”
The probe follows a conversation between Fox chairman Rupert Murdoch and Trump that reportedly triggered the Department of Justice investigation into the NFL’s media distribution model. While the league faces scrutiny from multiple government bodies, it maintains that its strategy has not diminished access for the majority of fans and that the shift to streaming reflects evolving viewing habits.
