CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
TV ratings: how many people watched the 2023 Champions League Final?
Manchester City secured their first ever Champions League win in Istanbul on 10 June with a 1-0 win over Inter Milan.
A global audience of approximately 450 million viewers was expected to tune into at least some part of Saturday’s Champions League final between Manchester City and Inter Milan on Saturday, UEFA estimated as we await the definitive viewing figures as the English side secured their first ever UCL trophy as a goal from Rodri was enough to beat Inter Milan.
The showpiece Istanbul final was being broadcast to more than 200 nations worldwide with UEFA forecasting ahead of the game that 150 million people would tune in to form part of the minute-by-minute average audience which includes verified TV viewers, fans streaming the match plus those watching in bars, restaurants and fan parks.
The projected 150 million figure is lower than the Champions League record 184 million average audience set by the 2014 final when Real Madrid beat Atlético Madrid 4-1 after extra time in Lisbon but surpasees the 84 million for Chelsea’s 1-0 win over Man City two years ago in a final that saw European football’s governing body forced to move the game from Istanbul to Porto as a result of the covid pandemic.
World Cup trumps
Despite the impressive viewing audiences generated on average by Champions League final generally, it’s high profile international soccer games that rule the roost when global television audiences are concerned. FIFA stated that the 2018 World Cup final between France and Croatia pulled in over 500 million viewers worldwide with the dramatic 2022 World Cup final which Argentina won on a penalty shoot-out being watched by 1.5 billion viewers according to FIFA.
The opening game of the Qatar tournament alone between the host nation and Ecuador drew a global audience of 550 million.