Disney+ to stream upcoming Super Bowl

Disney announced Wednesday that its streaming service Disney+ will air the upcoming Super Bowl in February.

Disney had previously announced that its ESPN sports division would produce the Super Bowl in 2027 for the first time ever. The game will air on ESPN and Disney's broadcast network, ABC.

Interest in the upcoming Super Bowl is already high. Disney said on its most recent earnings call that ad spots for the game are already sold out, the earliest sellout in Super Bowl history, according to a press release.

The announcement is the latest move in Disney's efforts to expand its live sports streaming offerings. The media company last year launched a standalone ESPN streaming service, bringing the content outside the cable bundle.

Other streamers are also using live sports to bolster their portfolios. CNBC reported last week that Alphabet's YouTube is actively searching for additional live sports rights. YouTube already pays roughly $2 billion annually for the rights to "NFL Sunday Ticket," which will last until the end of the 2029-30 season.

Netflix will air five NFL games during the 2026-27 season. Netflix Chief Content Officer Bela Bajaria said in a CNBC interview last month that the company would be open to acquiring the rights to international NFL games if they become available.