Netflix has signed a historic deal with French broadcaster TF1 that will allow its users in France to watch live television directly through the streaming app for the first time. Notably, TF1 is the most-watched television group in France, with its channels reaching around 58 million viewers per month.
Under the deal, Netflix subscribers in France will be able to watch all five of TF1’s free-to-air linear TV channels starting in the summer of 2026. TF1’s channels include TF1, TMC, TFX, TF1 Séries Films, and LCI.
In addition to the live broadcasts, the agreement will also give users access to TF1’s streaming platform TF1+, which offers more than 30,000 hours of on-demand content. This includes popular French dramas (like Demain nous appartient), reality and entertainment shows (like The Voice), and major live events including matches of the French national football and basketball teams. The move becomes more significant as TF1+ has about 35 million active users.
This marks the first time Netflix has integrated a third-party broadcaster’s live linear channels into its platform. However, the company previously tested a feature called ‘Direct’ in France in 2020 that mimicked traditional TV scheduling but did not include external channels.
“This is a first-of-its-kind partnership that plays to our strengths of giving audiences the best entertainment alongside the best discovery experience. By teaming up with France’s leading broadcaster, we will provide French consumers with even more reasons to come to Netflix every day and to stay with us for all their entertainment,” Greg Peters (co-CEO of Netflix) said in his statement.
On TF1’s part, the partnership with the streaming giant is aimed at expanding its digital reach and increasing advertising exposure, particularly as its streaming service TF1+ is ad-supported. Notably, Netflix also offers an ad-supported tier in France, creating a shared space for monetizing viewership.
Meanwhile, the financial details of the agreement have not been disclosed. Importantly, the partnership may also help Netflix meet French regulatory requirements, which mandate that international streaming platforms invest in local content production and contribute to national cultural programming.
The development comes at a time when, in April 2025, Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos stated that the company is aiming to reach a market capitalization of $1 trillion. Earlier this year, the company also raised subscription costs across multiple countries, including the US, France, Canada, Argentina, Portugal, and others. However, this move faced backlash from subscribers, even sparking widespread frustration and reportedly prompting some users to cancel their subscriptions. The company’s growth in the Asia-Pacific region has slowed, with only 1.1 million new subscribers added in the first quarter of 2025 (a 20% drop from the previous year). Earlier, the firm also announced that it will stop reporting subscriber numbers and average revenue per member, and will focus instead on revenue and profit margins.
