The 2026 World Baseball Classic, for which Netflix held exclusive streaming rights in Japan, has set a  Netflix viewing record. The live stream of the Japan vs Australia game is now the most-watched title ever on Netflix in Japan – surpassing every series, film, anime, and other sports programme on the streaming platform.

In Japan, World Baseball Classic games on Netflix reached a total of 31.4 million viewers. This figure includes live streams of all 47 games.  Throughout the tournament, 55 per cent watched at least one non-Japan game. The top three Japan games were Japan vs Australia (17.9 million), Japan vs Korea (17.86 million), and Japan vs Venezuela (17.26 million). For non-Japan matchups, the top three were United States vs Venezuela, Australia vs Korea, and United States vs Canada (with viewing figures not revealed).

Viewing took place on a wide range of devices, including smartphones, tablets, PCs, and connected TVs (such as smart TVs and streaming devices). Around 85 per cent of viewers watched the games on television, while around 38 per cent watched on smartphones or tablets. On average, each viewer used more than one device, indicating that people enjoyed the WBC in many everyday situations — during commutes to work or school, while out and about, and in their own living rooms. Netflix’s flexible viewing experience allowed many fans to enjoy the games in ways that fit their lifestyles.

Kaata Sakamoto, who oversees Japan Content at Netflix, said: “This tournament marked Netflix’s successful entry into live sports streaming in Japan. I deeply admire the intense emotion and passionate drama both on and off the field. This major undertaking succeeded thanks to the dedicated staff, stakeholders, and over 100 partner companies and municipalities. We will leverage these results and learnings to continue delivering unique live experiences on Netflix.”

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Tags: baseball, japan, netflix