STOCKHOLM, Sweden – Disney+ and the National Hockey League (NHL) today announced a new five-year agreement that will bring the world's best hockey league to Disney+ customers in Sweden and Finland starting with the 2026/27 season. The NHL games included in the new agreement will stream live on ESPN on Disney+, the dedicated ESPN offering that gives sports fans access to live sports, studio shows, original programming and more, with select games also available on Star Channel in Finland.
Coverage will include select ESPN-produced games, delivering high-quality live broadcasts, expert analysis, and local-language expertise on select matchups throughout the NHL season for passionate fans and new audiences discovering hockey. Recently, ESPN delivered its most-watched NHL season in the U.S. in 2025/26, surpassing every season since the rights returned to ESPN in 2021/22, highlighting the sport's rapidly growing popularity.
Disney+ customers will have access to live and exclusive coverage of 160 regular-season games, which include 50 guaranteed games in Nordic primetime, as well as 20 playoff games from the first and second rounds of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The agreement also includes shared rights to the Conference Final and the iconic Stanley Cup Final, highlighting some of hockey's biggest moments.
The NHL lineup features the biggest stars in the sport and the iconic "Original Six" franchises including the Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings, New York Rangers, Montreal Canadiens, Toronto Maple Leafs and more. With hockey's deep roots in both Sweden and Finland, Disney+ will bring fans closer to the action featuring many of the standout players across the league, such as Swedish players William Nylander (Toronto Maple Leafs), Filip Forsberg (Nashville Predators) and Rasmus Dahlin (Buffalo Sabres), as well as Finnish players Aleksander Barkov (Florida Panthers), Mikko Rantanen (Dallas Stars) and Sebastian Aho (Carolina Hurricanes).
With this deal, Disney+ continues to expand its live sports offering in Europe, connecting fans with some of the world's biggest competitions. In the Nordics, this includes the NFL in Sweden, UEFA Europa League and UEFA Conference League in Sweden and Denmark, Copa del Rey in Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Finland, LALIGA and DFB-Pokal in Sweden, Denmark and Finland, and the UEFA Champions League in Sweden from the 2027/28 season. Disney+ is also the exclusive home of the UEFA Women's Champions League across Europe.
The addition of the NHL follows the recent launch of ESPN on Disney+, bringing major U.S. sports, such as the NBA, to select markets. The wider lineup also features college sports such as the NCAA Men's and Women's Basketball Tournaments (March Madness), college football playoffs and bowl games, as well as events including the Little League World Series and the Savannah Bananas. Customers can also access ESPN's acclaimed 30 for 30 documentary collection, alongside select studio programming like ESPN FC.
Karl Holmes, General Manager, Disney+ EMEA, said: "In Sweden and Finland, hockey isn't just watched, it's a passion shared across generations. From overtime winners to the race for the Stanley Cup, there's nothing quite like the NHL. With so many Swedish and Finnish stars, we're excited to bring the NHL to customers, adding another brilliant competition to our growing lineup of live sport."
David Proper, Chief Media Officer & Senior Executive Vice President, NHL said: "The NHL's connection to fans across the Nordic region and internationally has never been stronger, 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."
Diego Londono, Senior Vice President & General Manager, Networks & Sports, The Walt Disney Company EMEA said: "ESPN's relationship with the NHL has been shaped by decades of expert insight, analysis and storytelling, and we're proud to bring that experience to customers in Sweden and Finland for the first time on Disney+. With ESPN alongside each game, fans can follow every twist of the NHL season through world-class production, expert analysis and local language commentary. It's another exciting addition as we continue to build ESPN on Disney+, bringing customers more of the world's biggest sports"
Fans can also follow NHL coverage across ESPN's digital channels, including @espnse and @disneyplusfi, with highlights, news and key moments from every game.
Disney+ is available from 69 SEK/6.99 EUR per month - with no hidden costs and the ability to cancel anytime. There's something for everyone to watch, with a lifetime of great stories and a constantly growing library of blockbuster movies, brand new originals and exclusive hit shows, alongside live sports throughout the year. From Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic, Hulu, FX and ESPN, Disney+ spans everything from documentaries to critically acclaimed drama, comedy to classic animation, and general entertainment.
