With audience figures coming in from around the world after the opening weekend’s action at the ongoing FIFA World Cup in Russia, the latest edition of world football’s ultimate competition is proving as popular as ever with viewers everywhere.
In Brazil, a record combined audience of 55.89 million watched the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia Group E opener between Brazil and Switzerland.
This is the highest sports audience recorded since the current auditing system was adopted in 2006. According to statistics by Globe TV, the Brazil game coverage attracted 53.32 million viewers (a 79.33% share and 26.34% TVR), while FOX and SPORTV brought in further respective audiences of 0.35 million and 2.22 million for the same match.
This beats all figures for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil, when the top combined audience was 49.10 million for Brazil’s opening match against Croatia.
In Germany, coverage of Die Mannschaft’s opening game against Mexico attracted 25.97 million viewers on ZDF, with 81.6% of all German television viewers at that time watching the match. This was the highest audience recorded on German television since UEFA EURO 2016. Source: ZD.
Mexico’s first match against Germany simulcast across Las Estrellas, Azteca 7 and Foro TV, attracted a combined audience of 17.56 million (14.83% rating and 60.81% market share). Source: Publicis Mexico.
Switzerland’s 1-1 draw with Brazil was watched by a combined audience of 2.23 million viewers across RSI, RTS and SRF. This was the highest live match audience recorded in Switzerland for a FIFA World Cup™ match since the 1998 edition. Source: EBU
1.76 million viewers watched coverage of Costa Rica v. Serbia on RTS 1, representing 67.3% of all Serbian television viewers at that time and a 25.7% TVR. This was the highest television audience of 2018 to date. Source: Zenith Serbia.
According to FIFA, the figures are preliminary and do not include digital streaming or out-of-home viewing.
