England’s Euro 2022 victory over Sweden drew a peak TV audience of 9.3 million | BBC One
England’s semi-final triumph over Sweden at Euro 2022 attracted a peak audience of 9.3 million viewers on BBC One, making it one of the most-watched telecasts of the year.
The figures do not include the many viewers who will have watched using the BBC’s online streams, or in public spaces such as pubs or fan zones. The crowd were rewarded with a comprehensive 4-0 victory at Bramall Lane, with Alessia Russo backing the ball in Sweden’s goal.
Women’s international football is now a consistent ratings winner, making other sports jealous of the huge interest it generates. By comparison, the BBC’s live broadcast of the Athletics World Cup peaked at 1.3 million on Saturday, while this month’s Twenty20 international cricket match between India and England attracted a peak audience of 980,000, despite being free-to-view on BBC Two.
Euro 2022 has attracted millions of UK viewers – even for matches that have not involved England or Northern Ireland – suggesting there is a huge appetite for free live sport in the UK.
The growing interest in the sport can be traced in the viewing figures. When England’s women’s team reached the final of the 2009 European Women’s Championship, they attracted 1.4 million viewers on BBC One. The BBC will expect 10 times that crowd when the Lionesses play in this year’s final at Wembley at 5pm on Sunday.
The record UK TV audience for a women’s football match was set at the 2019 World Cup, when viewing figures peaked at 11.7 million people when England lost to the USA in the semi-final.
The challenge for women’s football is how to maintain media interest after the tournament is over. Sky and the BBC hope to convince more viewers to watch coverage of the domestic English Women’s Super League.
BBC Two attracted half a million viewers when it showed the Arsenal v Tottenham Hotspur women’s derby in May.