Japan’s early exit from the World Baseball Classic — a quarterfinal loss to eventual champion Venezuela — capped a tournament that also raised questions about how the games were watched at home. With Netflix holding exclusive streaming rights, many fans across the country found themselves largely shut out of public viewing options, with matches unavailable on free-to-air television. 

The streamer said Wednesday that 31.4 million viewers in Japan watched the tournament’s 47 games. The March 8 game between Japan and Australia drew 17.9 million viewers, becoming the “most-watched title ever on Netflix in Japan — surpassing every series, film, anime and other sports program on the service.”

Netflix Japan had secured exclusive rights to stream all 47 WBC games as part of its 2026 slate. During a roundtable press conference in February, Kaata Sakamoto, vice president of content, said the streamer would host “Hometown Hero” public viewings in each hometown connected to the 30 Samurai Japan players. 

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