NHL and Disney+ Sign Five-Year Streaming Deal in Sweden and Finland
The agreement begins this season with 160 regular-season games, 20 early-round playoff games and shared rights to the conference finals and Stanley Cup Final.
The NHL and Disney+ announced a five-year rights agreement Wednesday that will bring league games to customers in Sweden and Finland beginning with the 2026-27 season.
Games will stream through ESPN on Disney+, with select matchups also available on Star Channel in Finland. The package includes 160 regular-season games, including 50 guaranteed in Nordic primetime, plus 20 games from the first two rounds of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Disney+ will also share rights to the conference finals and Stanley Cup Final.
Select ESPN-produced broadcasts will include local-language commentary and analysis.
The league highlighted Swedish players William Nylander, Filip Forsberg and Rasmus Dahlin, along with Finnish stars Aleksander Barkov, Mikko Rantanen and Sebastian Aho.
"In Sweden and Finland, hockey isn't just watched, it's a passion shared across generations," Disney+ EMEA general manager Karl Holmes said in the announcement.
NHL chief media officer David Proper described the agreement as part of the league's effort to expand its international reach and serve Nordic fans.
The deal follows the broader launch of ESPN on Disney+ in Europe. The service also carries NBA games and college sports in select markets, along with ESPN studio programming and the 30 for 30 documentary library.
Disney+ plans in the region start at 69 SEK or 6.99 EUR per month.
