Disney+ to livestream Super Bowl LXI in first for the platform

ESPN and Disney+ will distribute the Super Bowl to 55 and 120 international markets, respectively, according to sports.yahoo.com. The game will be played at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, per the Disney+ website. Disney+ subscribers will need a plan that includes ESPN Unlimited, such as the Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Unlimited bundle, to access the live stream, according to the Disney+ website.

Coverage will begin at 11 a.m. ET on game day. Disney Advertising said it has sold out its Super Bowl LXI inventory, drawing 58 brands across 34 distinct categories, including nine first-time Super Bowl advertisers. "Our Upfront and a sold-out Super Bowl LXI make it clear: brands see Disney as a must-have investment," Rita Ferro, president of global advertising at The Walt Disney Company, said in a statement.

The Super Bowl will be ESPN's first in the network's history, and the first on ABC since 2006, according to the Disney+ website and Deadline. Disney last aired the NFL championship during the George W. Bush administration, Deadline reported. The deal also includes two Monday Night Football games on Disney+ later this fall, the first regular-season NFL games on the platform.

Disney+ will also stream Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest, The Hollywood Reporter reported. The Super Bowl stream reflects CEO Josh D'Amaro's strategy to make Disney+ the "digital centerpiece" of the company, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Disney plans to leverage its entire portfolio, from theme parks to films, to drive awareness of the 2027 Super Bowl, including turning Santa Monica Beach into ESPN Beach.

Kickoff times, additional broadcast details, and the halftime show will be confirmed closer to the game, the Disney+ website noted. The move extends Disney's push to make the Super Bowl as widely accessible as possible.