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Netflix buys “The Rest is Football” podcast to comment on the World Cup
Netflix is continuing its conquest of new audiences in live sport, or rather, in this case, around sport. The platform has just signed a deal with Goalhanger, the production company behind The Rest Is Football, the podcast hosted by Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer and Micah Richards. The Rest is Football will be broadcast daily on Netflix during the 2026 World Cup.
What is The Rest is Football?
The original format of The Rest Is Football is a conversational podcast, launched three times a week in 2023, in which Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer and Micah Richards decipher football news with a mix of tactical analysis, dressing-room anecdotes and humour. The tone is relaxed and friendly, with these three football veterans replaying matches like friends in a pub, but with the expertise of professionals who have played at the highest level.
The podcast now boasts 7 million monthly listens.
The planned Netflix version is to make it a daily studio show from New York, keeping the same tone. One crucial point is worth emphasising: neither Netflix nor Goalhanger hold the rights to broadcast matches or summaries in the United States or the United Kingdom. As a result, the show is unlikely to offer any footage from the pitch. Rather than fight for broadcasting rights, the platform is banking on conversational and analytical content. It’s a less expensive gamble, but one that targets an audience that is already loyal.
What this tells us about Netflix’s sports strategy
This deal is part of Netflix’s gradual expansion into the world of sport and podcasts. After documentaries(Drive to Survive, Break Point) and live events (Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson boxing match, NFL Christmas Day…), the platform is now exploring the territory of daily sports talk shows.
If the format works, it could pave the way for a new category of sports content on streaming platforms: cheaper than broadcast rights, more agile than traditional TV formats, and potentially better suited to the consumption habits of a connected audience.
