April 8, 2026, 3:53 pm | Read time: 2 minutes
The local streaming offerings are already quite extensive, with various providers in the market catering to different interests. In the fierce competition, a competitor is now pulling a new ace from its sleeve, as is now circulating. According to reports, the well-known U.S. sports channel ESPN has also come to Disney+ in Europe.
ESPN Fans Need Disney+
This is now evident from an official press release from the company. According to it, Disney has begun to roll out the channel or brand internationally. In Europe and selected Asian markets, ESPN has now been directly integrated into Disney+. Sports fans in a total of 53 countries and territories benefit from this decision.
The entire ESPN family of channels has belonged 80 percent to ABC since 2005—the network belongs to Disney, which thus holds the largest share. Therefore, the move to Disney+ is only logical.
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ESPN on Disney+ Also in Germany?
The release only mentions Europe in general. The German market is not mentioned separately. However, since Disney Germany has also issued its own statement, this is akin to a confirmation that ESPN has also appeared on Disney+ here. Additionally, the company explicitly states that it aims to build on a “growing portfolio of world-class sports content” in Europe with this move.
Since live sports are already taking place on Disney+ here—such as the Women’s Champions League or “March Madness” in American college basketball—the ESPN integration in Germany is only logical.
What Sports Fans Can Expect on Disney+
At the start of the broad international expansion, the offerings will vary by market. However, by 2027, it is expected to grow to “thousands of live events, including a diverse program portfolio such as U.S. sports coverage of the NBA (National Basketball Association) and NHL (National Hockey League)—both starting with the 2026–27 season.”
Additionally promised are:
- “March Madness”
- Regular season college basketball and conference tournaments
- College football
- College football playoffs and bowl games
- Little League World Series
- Savannah Bananas
Additionally, the documentary series “30 for 30” and acclaimed films and studio shows like “ESPN FC” are included. Since yesterday, April 7, 2026, ESPN should be available on Disney+ with its own tile.