The 2026 FIFA World Cup is in full swing, but for many diehard fans and cursory viewers, the live spectacle isn’t enough to feed the need for soccer. Seeing this coming, a certain massive streaming platform has committed to tackling this demand by pumping out stacks of shows and films that put soccer at their core. With so much to view, though, it can be tough to know which ones are worth your time this summer. Here’s what you need to know.
Netflix Goes Big for the Summer of Soccer
From May onwards, with a few dripped in prior, Netflix was keen to fill up its library with anything and everything World Cup fans could want to watch. The new soccer collection is certainly impressive, spanning new films, docu-series looking at specific former stars, and shows that recount some of the most memorable events and overall tournaments of the World Cup.
Among the best and most pertinent of the films and one-offs are Mexico ’86, The Bus: A French Football Mutiny, and USA ’94: Brazil’s Return to Glory, and all for very different reasons. Starring Diego Luna, Mexico ’86 plays more as a comedy, dramatising the ingenuity and audacity of Mexico somehow being named World Cup hosts. Of course, in 2026, they’re one of the co-hosts of the bumper tournament.
France have rarely strayed from the headlines over the last couple of World Cups, but usually because of their quality on the pitch. The Bus gives an intriguing inside look at their 2010 bus strike and offers an important view from France during the controversy. Then, USA ’94 is a superb delve into exactly what it took for a forever hyped soccer nation to galvanize and take their fourth title.
For longer-format viewing, as you’d expect, Netflix has plenty of new docu-series and dramas that recount the biggest moments in World Cup history. The one getting the most buzz would make for good viewing before USA ’94. Brazil ’70: The Third Star dramatizes their ascendancy to becoming the first three-time world champions. Particularly relevant in 2026, Norway: The Dark Horse is an intriguing look at the revolution of the national team.
Soccer Fans Spoiled for Choice
Being such a huge platform, it’s notable that Netflix has gone so all-in on the World Cup this summer – especially when you consider the other release they’ve spun out for the tournament. In a similar vein, the pick’em challenge app based around the whole Premier League era, 38-0, has also enjoyed a surge of interest around the kick-off of the World Cup. They’re not the only examples of gaming options turning to the ever-popular sport.
The suite of live casino online has recently expanded to accommodate the influx of soccer fans seeking to keep up with the sports scene while playing games. This would have been quite the undertaking, what with the games being live-streamed from real studios with professional croupiers, but clearly, the providers saw enough demand to warrant such an effort. Now, Sports Arena, Sports Roulette, and Sports Blackjack headline the featured section.
Whether you want to sit back and watch or try something a bit more hands-on, there are loads of new options available for soccer fans. Better still, this summer, Prime Video will release its behind-the-scenes look at Pep Guardiola’s final seasons at Manchester City.
