A few months back, the NFL dropped the news that YouTube would exclusively stream the Week 1 Friday Night Showdown in São Paulo, Brazil. It was the very first NFL game to be streamed live and completely free on YouTube. Hans Schroeder, the NFL’s EVP of media distribution, put it simply. “We are excited to expand our relationship with YouTube to bring this year’s Brazil game to a worldwide audience.”

“YouTube and YouTube TV have been incredible partners of the NFL for several years and boast an immense global reach, and we look forward to Week 1 in São Paulo.” Fast forward to the game day, and the showdown didn’t disappoint. The Chargers ran the Chiefs off the field, winning 27-21, and the stream turned into a major success for YouTube. Friday’s AFC West showdown in Brazil drew 17.3 million global viewers, including 16.2 million in the U.S.

However, it’s fair to point out that Nielsen, the company tracking TV ratings, changed its measurement methods in 2025. As per ESPN researcher Flora Kelly, the company used “custom methodology” for the Chiefs vs. Chargers showdown. That means ratings across different years aren’t a perfect comparison. In simple terms, 2025 numbers might naturally look higher. The silver lining, though?

Well, the YouTube audience for the Friday Night’s game ranked ahead of last year’s Packers vs. Eagles showdown on Peacock, which reportedly drew 14.2 million viewers. Without any doubt, YouTube’s NFL debut turned out to be a major success both for Roger Goodell, the NFL and the platform as well. The reasoning is pretty simple.

Unlike Netflix and Amazon Prime, which are behind paywalls, YouTube streamed the game free for everyone globally. That, however, turned out to be one of the reasons why the Chiefs vs. Chargers game trailed behind last year’s Netflix doubleheaders (24 million). But at the end of the day, pulling in over 16 million U.S. viewers is nothing to sneeze at for a primetime NFL game. That’s a solid number by any standard.

And it’s worth keeping in mind that the NFL’s deal with ESPN still leaves four games up for grabs each season—so there’s a real chance YouTube could score more games down the line. With a massive media rights deal looming at the end of the decade, this Week 1 debut might just be the opening move in a bigger play for how the NFL and YouTube team up moving forward.

Chargers vs. Chiefs: The reasons behind YouTube’s success

YouTube’s exclusive stream of the Chiefs vs. Chargers game is officially in the history books. But it’s safe to say that the streaming drew mixed reactions. While some pointed out that the platform failed to set a league streaming record, others declared it a massive success, considering YouTube streamed the game free for everyone, unlike Netflix and Amazon Prime. However, the reasons behind Friday Night’s game success are worth noting.

First off, the broadcast’s massive reach played a huge role in pulling in over 17 million viewers across 230 countries and territories. You had everything from Rich Eisen and Kurt Warner calling the action to an NFL-themed comedian, Spanish-language influencers, and even IShowSpeed. His “Watch With” feature brought thousands of his 43 million subscribers into the chat, making the stream super interactive—and he even gave them a shoutout for being part of his fan base.

On top of that, the promo campaign with MrBeast and Roger Goodell, where the YouTube star jokingly bought the NFL, was a massive hit, racking up millions of views and hype for the game. Last but not least, the NFL legends, including Derek Carr and Cam Newton, providing pregame and postgame analysis was just the cherry on the cake. Long story short: the debate around YouTube’s success of its first-ever NFL game is palpable. But it’s safe to say that it’s just an opening move of the bigger picture ahead.