Netflix has announced a new direction for its development — video podcasts will appear on the platform starting in 2026. The company has signed an agreement with Spotify Studios and The Ringer network, under which 16 shows will be available on the service. Among them are The Bill Simmons Podcast, Conspiracy Theories, as well as The Ringer programs dedicated to the NFL, NBA, Fantasy Football and Formula 1.
The new format will first appear in the US, and then expand to other countries. Importantly, these podcasts will not be fully available on YouTube, which remains Netflix's main competitor in this segment and at the same time the world's largest podcast platform with over a billion monthly viewers.
Netflix has no plans to add ad units to its first episodes, but Spotify's built-in ads will remain. This is not the company's first experiment with podcasts: it already produces its own podcasts like You Can't Make This Up and Skip Intro, but is now betting on external partners and popular brands.
Spotify says it wants to expand opportunities for creators and give them access to new audiences. For Netflix, it's another step in diversifying its content, allowing it to compete not only in TV series and movies, but also in the video podcast segment. The company also plans to release games that can be played on TV.