The National Hockey League (NHL) is making a major digital move for its global fan community. Starting with the 2025-26 season, DAZN will become the exclusive home of NHL.TV in nearly 200 countries and territories, unlocking a broader international reach than the league has ever attempted before.
For followers outside North America and a handful of specific markets, this change means a new front door to everything the NHL has to offer. DAZN, a sports streaming service that’s spent recent years drawing attention through ambitious acquisitions, will take over from Sportradar as the provider of NHL.TV, a platform previously distinct from the region’s TV rights deals. The new service will carry every game, including the Stanley Cup Playoffs and Final, available to hockey fans on practically any device they choose.
Exemptions do exist. Current rights agreements in the United States (held by ESPN and TNT Sports), Canada (Sportsnet and Prime Video), and the Nordic nations, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, and Norway, mean those regions will not be part of this new arrangement. Hockey fans in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland will also encounter some limitations on live games due to local blackout rules, but even there, those games will be made available on demand soon after the final whistle.
What’s behind this fresh partnership? For the NHL, the deal reflects a strategic pivot toward embracing the league’s truly global makeup. About 30 percent of current NHL players are born outside North America, and as that slice grows, so does the international fan base. Steve McArdle, the league’s Chief Operating Officer, has described the move as a step to better connect with fans worldwide, saying that media distribution lies at the heart of their international ambitions.
DAZN, meanwhile, continues to build a reputation as a hub for marquee sports content beyond its foundations in boxing, soccer, and motorsports. The streaming service already broadcasts NFL Game Pass, PGA Tour Pass, and FIBA’s Courtside 1981 internationally. With this NHL arrangement, DAZN adds hockey to a growing list of globally recognized leagues on its books.
Transition logistics are underway. NHL.TV subscribers can expect more information before the autumn 2025 puck drop. The platform will be available either as a standalone subscription or as an optional add-on for current DAZN subscribers, reflecting DAZN’s strategy of flexibility. Financial details of the agreement have not been publicized.
For the NHL, this marks the end of an era with Sportradar, the previous tech partner for NHL.TV internationally. While the league managed marketing and outreach, the transition to DAZN signals a more unified global approach and offers a significant technology upgrade. The change isn’t just about bandwidth or buffering speed, it’s about creating a more cohesive, fan-friendly experience that can adapt to how international viewers want to watch their hockey.
For fans, there is hope that the ease and quality of DAZN’s streaming will reduce long-standing frustrations with accessing NHL content abroad. As the world’s leading hockey league further commits to serving its far-flung supporters, the coming seasons could see the NHL’s global imprint grow even more sharply.
