YouTube TV is on course to become the largest pay-TV operator in the United States by 2027, overtaking both Charter and Comcast, according to new Omdia forecasts unveiled at NEM Zagreb.
María Rúa Aguete, Head of Media and Entertainment at Omdia, said the milestone would mark the first time a virtual pay-TV provider has led the US market.
Omdia’s end-2025 snapshot puts Charter on 11.4 million pay-TV subscribers, Comcast on 10.6 million and YouTube TV on 9.3 million. By end-2027, YouTube TV is expected to reach 10.4 million subscribers, ahead of Charter on 10 million and Comcast on 9.2 million. Rúa Aguete said YouTube TV has effectively become a full pay-TV bundle. “This is an historic moment in US TV history, with the largest pay-TV operator about to be a virtual provider,” said Rúa Aguete. “YouTube TV has evolved into a comprehensive pay-TV bundle, offering linear channels, premium networks, and major sports properties — including exclusive NFL Sunday Ticket rights. This is not just a streaming service; it is the new face of US pay TV.”
Rúa Aguete also stressed YouTube’s broader scale beyond its vMVPD offer, with the main platform approaching 3 billion global users. By comparison, Netflix is forecast to reach around 300 million global subscribers and will account for just 15.7% of US SVOD subscriptions by the end of 2025, despite remaining the single largest subscription service. US streaming remains highly fragmented, with Netflix on 88.7 million subs in 2025, followed by Amazon Prime Video (64.7m), Disney+ (55.8m), Paramount+ (49.4m) and HBO Max (29.7m).
Omdia argues that YouTube’s dual role as the world’s largest video platform and a soon-to-be number one US pay-TV operator highlights a shift towards hybrid platforms that blend traditional TV with digital-native content. Rúa Aguete also pointed to ongoing strategic interest in Hollywood assets such as Paramount and Warner, driven by the need for scale, premium IP and global distribution as the market continues to consolidate and reposition around these hybrid models.
