Streamers to Up Sports Rights Spending in 2026

Streaming platforms are expected to spend $14.2 billion on sports rights in 2026, a 7 percent year-over-year rise, with Prime Video to take over as the biggest spender, accounting for 27 percent of the total, according to Ampere Analysis.

Prime Video is forecast to contribute $3.8 billion on sports rights this year, beating out DAZN by more than $500 million. DAZN is expected to account for 22 percent of total sports right spend in 2026.

“Since 2018, its first full year with top-tier sports rights, DAZN has been the leading streaming spender on sports,” noted Danni Moore, senior analyst for Ampere Sports. “However, Amazon’s NBA deal, which began in the 2025–26 season, combined with its existing major rights for NFL Thursday Night Football in the U.S. and the UEFA Champions League in Germany, Italy and the U.K., means it overtakes DAZN’s spending for the first time this year.”

Prime Video and DAZN are followed by YouTube TV at 14 percent of the total, Paramount+ at 8 percent and Netflix at 5 percent.

Ampere predicts that “generalist” platforms—non-sports streamers—will account for 44 percent of total spend on sports rights this year, up 31 percent from last year.

“The growing importance of live sport in driving subscriber acquisition and retention, and in maximizing ad-tier revenue, has encouraged generalist streamers like Prime Video to become increasingly active in acquiring sports rights,” Moore added. “As a result, these streamers will increasingly provide tough competition for DAZN in acquiring top-tier rights, as we’ve seen with the platform losing out to Paramount+ in the latest UEFA Champions League rights tender in Germany.”