Netflix is introducing FIFA to its gaming lineup in time for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and wants the living room to be part of it. The plan includes a revamped FIFA soccer simulation game, exclusive to Netflix Games, which can be played on your phone and, in some places, on your TV.
If your goal is to play FIFA on Netflix TV, the basic idea is uncomplicated: you run the game on a supported TV and employ your phone as a controller. Netflix also says you can play solo or online with friends, and says the game is basic to learn but fun to maintain.
What Netflix isn’t saying yet also matters. There was no announcement on which countries would be included in the release, what TV models would support it, or a specific release date beyond “this summer” in time for the 2026 World Cup. Netflix adds that more details will follow in 2026.
Use your phone as a controller
Netflix leans towards a low-friction setup. He says games can sit on the TV alongside shows and movies, and then the phone will take care of the controls. This approach eliminates the need for a separate console, but also means that the experience will depend on which TVs and regions choose first.
Netflix’s language around the game suggests it’s aiming for broad appeal, not a niche simulation that takes hours to understand. The company calls the game “quick to learn” and “exciting to master,” and describes it as something anyone can jump into to play the best games available.
A pitch the size of the World Cup
Netflix Games president Alain Tascan calls the 2026 FIFA World Cup “the cultural event of 2026” and says Netflix wants to “bring football back to its roots” with gameplay that works “at the touch of a button.”
FIFA president Gianni Infantino endorses the partnership as a step toward greater innovation in soccer gaming and highlights the biggest consumer catch: it will be free for Netflix subscribers. Netflix says Delphi Interactive is developing and publishing the game.
What to watch before the start
For now, this is a promise-based announcement. The next update must answer three practical questions: where the TV game launches first, what TVs are supported, and what online gameplay looks like when real players are on the servers. Netflix says the next wave of announcements will arrive in 2026, so by then it should become clear whether this will be a standard fixture in the living room or if its rollout will be slower.
