Disney+ will introduce an ad-supported tier in Belgium at the start of 2026.
From 27 January 2026, Belgian viewers will be able to take a new Standard with Ads plan priced at €6.99 a month, sitting below the existing ad-free Standard tier at €10.99 and Premium at €15.99.
The ad tier mirrors Disney+’s phased roll-out across Europe, where Standard with Ads has already launched in markets including the UK, France, Germany and the Nordics, and later Finland, the Netherlands and Portugal. In those territories the tier offers up to 1080p Full HD, two concurrent streams and no offline downloads, with downloads reserved for ad-free plans – a feature set that is expected to be replicated in Belgium.
Disney+ country manager for Benelux, Marco de Ruiter, confirmed the timing and pricing in a post to clients, describing the move as a “significant step” that gives Belgian consumers more choice while opening up premium inventory for advertisers.
Disney has appointed Antwerp-based sales house Transfer Media as its exclusive advertising representative for Disney+ in Belgium. Transfer will handle pre-roll and mid-roll spots within the Standard with Ads tier, positioning the streamer alongside its existing portfolio of thematic and kids’ TV channels and digital video, and giving local buyers a single point of access to inventory around Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic and Hulu-branded content.
The Belgian launch follows a broader move by Disney+ towards hybrid subscription models. Ad tiers are now a central growth driver for the service in the United States and Europe, with recent research showing ad-supported options gaining share and overall ad-tier penetration expected to overtake ad-free streaming in key markets such as the UK by mid-2026.
For Belgium’s TV and video market, Disney+ arrives into an increasingly competitive advertising environment. Local sales houses DPG Media, Ads & Data and VAR already divide up most linear TV and BVOD spend, while Transfer Media has historically specialised in smaller thematic channels and online video. Disney+ adds a global SVOD brand with strong family and franchise IP to that mix, and comes just as other international players, including HBO Max, prepare to scale ad-funded offerings in Western Europe.
The new tier should also strengthen Disney’s sports proposition in Belgium. The company has been leaning on live football, including pan-European rights such as the UEFA Women’s Champions League, as a differentiator for Disney+; bringing those matches into an ad-supported environment will offer additional reach and premium live-event slots to Belgian advertisers once the tier goes live.
Source: https://www.broadbandtvnews.com/2025/12/10/disney-extends-ad-tier-to-belgium/
