The most coveted prize in club football will be contested this weekend, with heavily-favoured Manchester City aiming for their first ever European trophy against three-time winners Inter Milan. As the global football community turns its attention to Istanbul on the 10th June, we are uncovering just how many people will tune in to watch this year’s edition, and how Champions League final viewing figures compare to some of sport’s other major events.
- The Champions League final typically draws in a global audience of around 400 million.
- Average viewerships in recent years are double that of the NFL’s Super Bowl.
- Watched across an estimated 200 nations worldwide.
Champions League Final Viewing Figures
Although official viewing figures for the Champions League final have fluctuated from anywhere between 380 million and 400 million in recent years (Goal), it is safe to assume a similarly mammoth spectatorship will sit down to watch Manchester City and Inter Milan for 2023’s edition.
It is worth noting that despite being a single day event, its average 400 million viewership ranks it firmly among the most watched sporting events in the world, alongside the Olympic Games and the Tour de France, which have cumulative figures.
This year’s Champions League final will continue to reach even more viewers as streaming capabilities and global connectivity continues to improve in underdeveloped regions, and it is certainly not inconceivable that a record number of fans will tune in.
Recent years have seen the likes of Liverpool, Chelsea and Real Madrid in the final, who all rank in the six most supported club in the world according to Goal.
Manchester City just make it into the top 10, but Inter Milan, who have not featured in a European final since winning this competition 13 years ago, have fallen from the dizzying heights of Champions League glory in recent years.
This may well translate to a slight drop off in viewers this year, or perhaps even a jump in the other direction given the fact not many fans would have predicted this to be the final.
However, with the UK’s chief Champions League broadcaster BT Sport reporting a record domestic viewership for last year’s final between Real Madrid and Liverpool (12.6 million), it may well serve as a strong indicator that the trajectory is only headed upwards.
How Does the Champions League Final Viewership Compare to Other Sports?
As mentioned, it is difficult to compare events that take place over a prolonged period such as the Olympics, but even then the Champions League final holds up pretty well despite being a one-day affair.
Therefore, it is perhaps best to compare it to some of the world’s other popular finals – for example:
- The 2023 NFL Super Bowl between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles saw a global audience of 150 million.
- The 2022 NBA Finals between the Golden State Warriors and the Boston Celtics had an average spectatorship of 16.9 million.
- The European Championship final between England and Italy two years ago pulled in 328 million fans.
- Last year’s World Cup Final in Qatar reportedly saw 1.5 billion people watch Argentina beat France on penalties.
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