World Cup Ratings: Epic Final Sets All-Time Viewing Record In France

French football supporters may be a little down in the dumps today, but France’s leading broadcaster TF1 certainly has something to celebrate. The World Cup final that saw Argentina defeat Les Bleus on Sunday afternoon has set a new all-time record for viewership in France with an average of 24.1 million watching from the 4pm local hour. 

The electrifying match drew a peak of 29.4 million viewers, audience share was 81%. 

When France won the World Cup final in 2018 versus Croatia, the triumph averaged 19.3 million with a peak of 22.3 million and an 82% share. The 2006 semi-final between France and Portugal was previously the biggest ratings draw in the history of French television with an average 22.2 million viewers.

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This is the first World Cup in which French audience measurement firm Médiamétrie kept tabs on out-of-home viewing including in bars, restaurants and hotels, as well as on tablets and smartphones. (BeIn Sport, which carried the entirety of the tournament, has not yet communicated ratings.)

The final ended 4-2 on penalties to Argentina, giving Lionel Messi his first World Cup title and after a 3-3 tie across 120 minutes. Messi became the first player to ever win the Golden Ball more than once. France’s Kylian Mbappé, who notched a hat-trick during the match, was awarded the Golden Boot having scored a total eight goals throughout the tournament. 

Despite calls to boycott this World Cup over its controversial host country, and polls that suggested a high percentage of French people would not follow along on television, ratings have been strong throughout.

As Les Bleus prepare to leave Qatar today, they are expected to convene in Paris’ Place de la Concorde to salute and be celebrated by their fans this evening. 

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