Viaplay, Nordic Entertainment Group’s leading Scandinavian streaming service, is coming to Canada.

The streamer unveiled an ambitious rollout to grow audience reach and content development in five new markets – adding the U.S. next year, before moving into Canada as well as Germany, Austria and Switzerland in 2023 – as it seeks to hit an updated target of 12 million subscribers by the end of 2025.

“When we come to a new market we always look to include local storytelling as a part of our offering in that market,” says Nicholas Smith, senior communications manager for Fernando Group, on behalf of NENT. “There’s something unique about the stories from our part of the world and hard to put your finger on exactly what it is but it just works, it speaks to people in so many places, and we’re very excited to to bring that to you – and also to work with talents in Canada.”

The Stockholm-based service hopes to add six million new users from the international markets, in the accelerated expansion plan unveiled at the company’s capital markets day event today (Sept. 22).

The growth plans surpass those revealed last November, when Viaplay announced a target of 15 new countries, with a goal of adding 10.5 million new subscribers. NENT reports data shows that 80% of Canadians currently subscribed to a video streamer, but that number is expected to grow to almost three SVODs per household by 2025.

Viaplay will be available in the new markets on a direct-to-consumer basis, as well as through partnerships with local distributors. It will offer Nordic, local and international series, films, documentaries and kids content; both original and acquired. More details are expected closer to rollout.

“We are investing in this growth right now, in order to capitalize on the opportunity created as the shift to streaming video consumption continues to accelerate, and demand for high quality and locally relevant stories increases,” said Anders Jensen, NENT Group president & CEO (pictured), in a statement.

Viaplay will launch in this U.S. this year, and Netherlands next year. It is currently available in Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Iceland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland.

In March, NENT announced an an exclusive broadcast partnership with the National Hockey League for streaming rights in the Baltic region until 2026.