American football’s NFL has renewed its partnership with short-form video platform TikTok, as it looks to reach new and younger audiences globally.
The multi-year renewal, struck ahead of the 2026 season, will see the NFL expand its presence on the platform, with the league keen to increase its fan engagement.
Discover B2B Marketing That Performs
Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.
Specifically, more game highlights, archival moments, and year-round storytelling will appear across the NFL’s account, as well as the league’s international accounts, with users also able to see live scores and schedules, link directly to games, and watch official content.
The NFL will be part of the TikTok GamePlan, which will help the league, teams, and broadcasters tap into the platform’s global audience to increase discovery and tune-in.
The league will also continue its presence on TikTok’s ad platform Pulse Premier, which will expand to member clubs, allowing advertisers to place ads alongside NFL and club content.
TikTok’s Pro Events will launch an NFL hub in the coming weeks, as well, giving fans a space to discover content, engage with trending videos, complete fan-based tasks to earn exclusive benefits, and connect around key moments.
Brent Lawton, vice president of media strategy and business development at the NFL, said: “TikTok continues to be an important platform for fans to connect with the NFL in a variety of ways, from the action on the field to the broader culture and conversation around the sport.
“We look forward to continuing our partnership and creating new ways to engage NFL fans around the world.”
The renewal builds on the pair’s original partnership, struck ahead of the 2019 season, which saw the NFL launch its TikTok account to host content, including highlights, videos from the touchline during games, and behind-the-scenes footage.
Since its launch, the NFL account has grown to become one of the most followed on the platform, and over the past year, league posts on the platform have increased by more than 32%.
Rollo Goldstaub, TikTok’s global head of sport, said: “The NFL isn’t just a sport; it’s a year-round way of life where fandom thrives through game-day highlights, daily trends, and player personalities.
“By pairing the NFL’s thrilling moments with TikTok’s global reach, we’re helping the league unlock brand-new audiences while giving lifelong fans deeper access to the game.”
The 2026 NFL regular season is due to start on September 9 and run through January 10, 2027. The playoffs will then begin on January 16 before the season-ending Super Bowl is played on February 14.
