Rakuten TV plans free streaming expansion to the US, Middle East and Japan

The Hollywood Reporter says Rakuten TV CEO Cédric Dufour outlined plans on October 12, 2026, to expand beyond Europe. In the US, its free, ad-supported channels, including Rakuten TV Comedy and Rakuten TV Action, will appear first on TCLtv+. The company plans two channels in the UAE and Saudi Arabia by the end of 2026. In Japan, parent Rakuten Group plans to use Rakuten TV to bring FAST channels to its R Channels platform.