NHL to stream games on Disney+ in Finland, Sweden
There’s going to be a new way for fans overseas to watch the NHL for the foreseeable future.
On Wednesday, the league and Disney+ announced a five-year agreement to bring NHL games to subscribers in Sweden and Finland, starting with the 2026-27 season.
As part of the deal, games will air on ESPN and Disney+ in both countries, with select contests available on Star Channel in Finland. The coverage includes select ESPN-produced games. The Disney-owned network has had television broadcast rights in the United States since 2021.
Disney+ customers will receive live coverage of 160 regular-season games throughout the year, with 50 coming in Nordic primetime. For reference, Sweden is six hours ahead of Eastern Time, with Finland being seven hours ahead. 20 games from the first two rounds of the Stanley Cup Playoffs will also be available on Disney+, with shared rights to the conference finals and Stanley Cup Final.
David Proper, chief media officer and senior executive vice president of the NHL, says the new agreement will continue to help grow the league’s already strong presence in both countries.
“The NHL’s connection to fans across the Nordic region and internationally has never been stronger,” Proper said in a release. “Driven by the success of both Nordic-born players in the NHL and our tremendous on-ice product overall. Disney+ and ESPN are important in expanding our global reach and serving our international fans, providing broad access and unique perspective to NHL games and showcasing the incredible impact Nordic players continue to have on the sport.”
Disney+ has become a marquee player in bringing live sports to Europe. With the NHL, the streaming service now has a catalog in Sweden that includes the NFL, UEFA Europa League, Copa del Rey, UEFA Women’s Champions League and La Liga. The UEFA Champions League will also be available in Sweden, starting in 2027-28. Finland has streaming availability for the Copa del Rey, La Liga, and the Women’s UCL as well.