The UEFA Euro 2024 opening game, featuring hosts Germany against Scotland, has set the bar high in terms of viewership. The match was watched by a staggering 22.5 million viewers on ZDF, the German public service broadcaster (PSB). This article delves into the details of these impressive figures and their implications for sports broadcasting.
The thrilling encounter between Germany and Scotland on June 14th saw Die Mannschaft clinch a decisive 5-1 victory. This captivating performance drew an audience share of 69% for ZDF. These numbers significantly surpassed those recorded during Germany games at the FIFA World Cup in 2022 when just over nine million tuned in to watch their opening match against Japan.
However, it's worth noting that this figure falls slightly short of the whopping 22.55 million who watched Germany’s opening game loss against France at Euro 2020 on ZDF.
UK broadcasters reap benefits
In the UK, ITV averaged an audience of about 9.1 million for Scotland’s defeat, peaking at around 10.4 m across its main linear channel and its streaming platform ITVX. According to ITV, this coverage netted them the highest British peak TV audience for an international soccer tournament opener since the World Cup in 2014.
Moreover, STV reported a record-breaking peak audience of approximately 1.38 million viewers for an opening Euro match in Scotland with a total reach of nearly 1.79 million viewers.
England vs Serbia also tasted success
England match against Serbia also attracted considerable attention with an average audience of about 10.5 million tuning into BBC - translating to a market share as high as 60%. The prime-time evening slot undoubtedly played a role in boosting these numbers which peaked at 15 million. The match was also streamed 3.5 million times on BBC iPlayer.
In comparison, England’s 2022 FIFA World Cup opener drew a peak audience of only 8.1 million. The combined audience for Rai and Sky Italia’s coverage of Italy’s opening win against Albania stood at 11.7 million, accounting for a share of 60.5%.
Amidst these record-breaking viewership numbers, Qatar Airways announced an extension to its sponsorship deal with UEFA to become the official airline partner for all men's national team competitions.
The UEFA Euro 2024 has kicked off with impressive viewership figures that have set new records in sports broadcasting. This trend is expected to continue as the tournament progresses, promising exciting times ahead for both sports fans and sports betting enthusiasts alike.
