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The Most Watched Sporting Events in The World

By Alison Baker on November 3, 2023

TL;DR As of 2023, the most watched sporting events in the world are:

• World Cup of Soccer – 5 Billion Viewers
• Tour de France – 3.5 Billion Viewers
• Cricket World Cup – 2.6 Billion Viewers
• Women’s World Cup – 2 Billion Viewers
• Summer Games – 2 Billion Viewers
• Winter Games – 2 Billion Viewers
• UEFA Champions League Final – 450 Million Viewers
• Super Bowl – 115.1 Million Viewers
• Wimbledon – 25.6 Million Viewers
• NBA Finals – 17.8 Million Viewers
• World Cup of Rugby- 17 Million Viewers
• Kentucky Derby – 16.6 Million Viewers
• The Masters – 15 Million Viewers
• World Series – 14.73 Million Viewers
• NCAA Final Four – 14.7 Million Viewers

In the height of the streaming era, it’s clear that sports media consumption is shifting rapidly — but people around the world are still tuning in to watch their favorite sporting events live. Edging out the Tour de France, the World Cup of Soccer recently became the most watched sporting event worldwide, when more than 5 billion people watched the tournament in some capacity in 2022.

Nothing quite compares to the excitement of live sports or the experience of watching a competition unfold in real-time alongside the rest of the world, which is why sporting events continue to be such a draw — regardless of our multitasking habits or our incessant need to be constantly scrolling our phones.

If you are looking to avoid that unrelenting sensation sports FOMO — be sure to tune in to these most watched events around the world.

Our Methodology — Ranking the Most Watched Sporting Events Worldwide

As recently as a decade ago, determining the most watched sporting events was much simpler — you simply looked at TV ratings and noted the viewership numbers. However, today, viewers are tuning into their favorite events in ways that are more convenient and accessible.

Our methodology for ranking the most watched sports events worldwide incorporates:

• TV Viewership (including streaming)
• Duration of Viewership and Peak Viewership Levels
• Most Recent Event

This article doesn’t consider the most attended sporting events, as in attended in-person, but we do discuss those numbers in our article “ The Biggest Sporting Events in the World by Attendance . ”

What Are the Most Watched Sporting Events Around the World?

Taking into account the TV viewership, duration of viewership, and peak viewership of the most recent major sporting events in the world, it may come as no surprise that soccer dominates our list of the top 15 most-watched sporting events. While soccer makes an appearance four times (World Cup, Women’s World Cup, Champions League Final, and the Summer Games), there are plenty of other sports that boast impressive numbers of viewers. While you’ll find popular American sports like football and baseball on the list, you’ll also find global sports like cricket and rugby. Take a look below to see if your favorite event is on the list.

If you want to make sure that you are part of those epic moments, you will want to catch these most watched sporting events around the world:

1. World Cup of Soccer – 5 Billion Viewers

World Cup frenzy reached record heights in 2022, when an anticipated 5 billion viewers tuned in to watch some portion of the tournament around the world — and 1.5 billion people watched the World Cup Final game alone.

While the viewership numbers are incredible, the engagement with the tournament is practically unbelievable. FIFA reported in January 2023 that there were nearly 6 billion engagements with the World Cup on social media, with Nielsen data revealing that there were more than 93.6 million posts across all social platforms about the tournament.

This 32-team tournament (which will be  expanded to 48 teams  in 2026) features national soccer teams from around the globe competing until ultimately one team is crowned champion. Held quadrennially, the World Cup is the pinnacle event in the sport and boasts huge attendance numbers every year. The 1950 Final game holds the record for attendance at a sporting event in an enclosed stadium with a whopping 199,854 spectators.

Next World Cup : June – July 2026 in Canada, Mexico and the United States

2. Tour de France – 3.5 Billion Viewers

Raking in more than 3.5 billion viewers in recent years , the Tour de France is one of the most watched sporting events worldwide. The 2023 event drew in record numbers domestically, with more than 42.5 million viewers in France alone.

Compared to other sporting events around the world, the Tour de France draws a large audience — but they don’t necessarily stick with the broadcast for the entirety. In 2023, viewership peaked during stage 16’s time trial, when 8.7 million viewers in France were watching. The average French viewer tuned in for a total of 55 minutes of coverage.

Taking place each summer in France, it is one of the most prestigious — and difficult — competitions in the sport. The race winds through the country’s scenic mountain roads, and consists of 21 stages totaling approximately 2,200 miles, raced over 23 days. Competitors race as part of an 8-person team, working together to achieve the fastest cumulative time.

Next Tour de France: June 29 – July 21, 2024, in France

3. Cricket World Cup – 2.6 Billion Viewers

North Americans may be surprised to find cricket on a list of most watched sporting events, but fans of the sport are well aware of how hugely popular cricket is in many parts of the world. The Cricket World Cup is the international championship for One Day International cricket. The contest features ten teams and lasts just over six weeks. Like the soccer World Cup, the tournament takes place every four years, with the next Cricket World Cup currently taking place in India.

The 2019 Cricket World Cup, hosted by England and Wales, set a new record for viewership. An incredible  2.6 billion people  tuned in, making it the most watched cricket event of all time.

While the 2023 event is ongoing, the Men’s Cricket World Cup has already reported record viewing numbers for this year’s event, with an estimated 43 million viewers tuning into the match between New Zealand and India.

Next Cricket World Cup: October and November 2023 in India

4. Women’s World Cup – 2 Billion Viewers

The hype surrounding the Women’s World Cup reached fever pitch in 2023, when 2 billion people were expected to view some portion of the tournament. Viewership numbers nearly doubled from 2019, when FIFA determined that 1.12 billion people worldwide watched the tournament.

In countries around the world, the 2023 Women’s World Cup broke viewership records:

• At peak moments during the semi-final game between Australia and England, 11.15 million people were watching, which are the highest viewership numbers recorded for this portion of the tournament.
• In China, 53.9 million people watched the China versus England match, which was the highest single-game TV audience ever recorded in the country.
• In peak moments, 12 million viewers were watching the tournament in England on BBC One — meaning more people watched the women’s match then the men’s Wimbledon final in July 2023.

Following a similar format as the men’s tournament, national teams compete in a month-long tournament that begins with group-stage matches and ends with a knockout stage (playoff rounds). As interest in the sport as a whole continues to rise, the Women’s World Cup will continue to be a must-watch event.

Next  Women’s World Cup : 2027 — Dates and Hosts TBD

5. Summer Games – 2 Billion Viewers

Without a doubt, the Summer Games are one of the most anticipated sporting events in the world. The Games not only offer a variety of different sports to watch, they also feature incredible personal triumphs, underdog stories, record-breaking feats of strength and endurance, and the opportunity to showcase national pride. With people around the world eager to cheer on their home country, it is no wonder billions of people want to spectate.

Every four years, the Summer Games are hosted in one of the world’s most attractive destinations, contributing to it being one of the highest attended sporting events. With a  global average reach of 2 billion viewers , it’s also one of the most watched on TV.

Next  Summer Games : July 26 – August 11, 2024 in Paris, France

6. Winter Games – 2 Billion Viewers

Though it may not attract the same amount of attention as the Summer Games, the Winter Games are still a hugely popular event that draws interest from around the globe. With popular sports including figure skating, alpine skiing, ice hockey, and snowboarding, the Games reaches a broad audience. The Winter Games take place over a 17-day period every four years.

A quarter of the world’s population (2 billion people)  tuned in  to watch a portion of the 2022 Winter Games, up slightly from the previous event in 2018.

Next Winter Games: February 6-22, 2026 in Milano Cortina

7. UEFA Champions League Final – 450 Million Viewers

Soccer is the  most popular sport in the world  and the UEFA Champions League Final is one of its biggest events. The top teams in Europe battle all season to be one of two teams in this prestigious championship match. In 2023, 450 million viewers watched all or part of the Champions League final game, which saw Manchester City F.C. come out as the champions.

While viewership was in the millions, social engagement with the Champions League Final reached peak levels in 2023. UEFA reported that there were 6.5 billion interactions with its own social content alone, which included more than 3 billion views on its cross-platform videos. The jaw-dropping levels of social engagement continue to prove that viewership and interaction with live sporting events is changing rapidly in our digital era.

Next  Champions League Final : June 1, 2024 in London, England

8. Super Bowl – 115.1 Million Viewers

In the minds of many Americans, Super Bowl Sunday is the most important holiday of the year. It’s become a national pastime to gather your family and friends, make all of your best snacks and sit in front of the largest TV you can find in order to enjoy the big game as well as the sure-to-go-viral commercials.

In 2023, the Super Bowl LVII raked in 115.1 million viewers on Fox, Fox Deportes and streaming networks, which helped the event earn its place in history as the most-watched Super Bowl of all time.

One of the most interesting facets about Super Bowl viewership is that not all viewers are sports enthusiasts. There are a large portion of viewers who watch the game for the commercials alone, and another subset of viewers who are there for the iconic Half Time performances.

Super Bowl popularity is growing among women, in particular. In 2023, about 75 percent of women surveyed said they were planning to watch the game, which was up from 62 percent of female respondents in 2022.

Next  Super Bowl : February 11, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada

9. Wimbledon – 25.6 Million Viewers

It is the  most famous tennis tournament in the world  so it is no surprise that it’s one of the most watched sporting events, as well as the most attended. Every year, thousands of fans converge at the All England Club for two weeks of spectacular tennis. In 2023, more than 532,000 spectators were in attendance, which topped the record-setting attendance of 2022 by more than 17,000 guests.

In terms of TV viewership, the Wimbledon Championships in 2023 continued to break records. In total, more than 25.6 million viewers watched some part of the tournament in 2023, with viewership peaking at 11.3 million on the BBC as Carlos Alcaraz became the champion.

Next  Wimbledon : July 1-14, 2024 in London, England

10. NBA Finals – 17.8 Million Viewers

Basketball fans follow their team for 82 games of the regular season, but the real fun begins when the playoffs start. With 30 teams fighting for 16 playoff spots, only two of which will make the NBA Finals, it’s kind of a big deal. The NBA Finals feature incredible basketball, an impressive celebrity presence, and a fun atmosphere…it’s no wonder so many people want to watch.

The NBA announced that the 2023 NBA playoffs were the most-watched in more than 5 years, with viewership peaking at 17.8 million viewers during Game 5 of the finals.

Social engagement also increased during the 2023 finals, with @NBA being the most-viewed brand on X (formerly known as Twitter) during the finals. Across all NBA social platforms, there were more than 8 billion views, which emphasized the fact that more people than ever viewed or interacted with the playoffs in some way.

Next NBA Finals: June 2024

11. World Cup of Rugby- 17 Million Viewers

Rugby’s premier event is the World Cup of Rugby, and like many big events is held every four years. Twenty of the best international teams compete in a six-week tournament until ultimately one team remains.

Figures from the recent 2023 World Cup of Rugby tournament showcase that the event is only growing in popularity, with a peak of 17 million viewers tuning in to the first game of the tournament between France and New Zealand — which was a higher viewership level than most final games during previous tournaments.

Next Rugby World Cup: 2027 in Australia

12. Kentucky Derby – 16.6 Million Viewers

Dubbed “the fastest two minutes in sports,” the  Kentucky Derby  is not just the most popular horse race in the United States, it’s also one of the premier horse races internationally. While Derby weekend is filled with plenty of different races, the highlight is the grand finale, which features three-year-old thoroughbreds racing one and one quarter miles around the historic Churchill Downs track.

During the most recent Kentucky Derby in 2023, viewership peaked at 16.6 million during a 15-minute time span on NBC, when Mage managed to take the lead and win the Derby.

While TV is still the preferred medium among those who are interested in the Derby, the streaming audience is quickly increasing. the Average Minute Audience on NBC streaming platform Peacock was 371,000 viewers, which was up 50 percent from 2022.

Next  Kentucky Derby : May 4, 2024 in Louisville, Kentucky

13. The Masters – 15 Million Viewers

The most prestigious tournament in the sport, the  Masters  takes place every spring in Augusta, Georgia. Attracting the best golfers from around the world, the Masters always boasts big names and a big crowd.  Playing four rounds over four days, the top pros battle to become Masters Champion and don the elusive  green jacket.

In 2023, viewership for The Masters increased by 19 percent, peaking at 15 million viewers during the final round. The 2023 tournament broke records, becoming the most-watched golf tournament on television in the past five years.

Next  Masters : April 8-14, 2024

14. World Series – 14.73 Million Viewers

As the Houston Astros clinched the World Series title in 2022 during the 6th game of the final series, more than 14.73 million people were watching live on cable and streaming networks.

This beloved event is one of America’s favorite fall traditions. Every October, the Major League Baseball (MLB) season culminates with the World Series. The champion from the American League faces the champion from the National League in a best of seven series to become World Series champs.

Next  World Series : October 2023 in Arizona and Texas

15. NCAA Final Four – 14.7 Million Viewers

While viewership numbers are trending downward for the Men’s NCAA Final Four tournament, there were still more than 14.7 million people who watched the UConn Huskies defeat the San Diego State Aztecs in April 2023. At one time, March Madness was considered the premier television event, sparking people around the country to create brackets and try to predict who would win this epic tournament. However, 2023 viewership levels were the lowest recorded for the tournament, signaling a shift in consumer demands for this sporting event.

Next  NCAA Final Four : April 6-8 in Glendale, Arizona

If you are tired of watching the world’s biggest sporting events on television and want to finally experience your dream event live, we can help you out.  Contact us  to start planning your ultimate sports travel experience to one of the world’s most watched sporting events.

Tags: Featured , Major Sporting Events

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About the Author

Alison Baker

Alison Baker is the lead writer in Roadtrips’ marketing department. An avid traveller and passionate sports fan, she’s found her ideal fit at Roadtrips, one of the leaders in sports travel. Alison’s enjoyed working in the travel industry for the last 20 years and had the opportunity to experience it from all sides, from sales and marketing to quality assurance and hosting.

Other posts by Alison Baker »

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EBU members rack up highest numbers of hours viewed for Tour de France since 2015

This year’s Tour de France, which culminated on Sunday with victory on the Champs-Élysées in Paris for Denmark’s Jonas Vingegaard, attracted the biggest TV audiences for EBU Members overall in terms of hours viewed since 2015.

The enthralling race, which featured an epic duel for the Yellow Jersey between Vingegaard and Tadej Pogačar, Slovenia’s winner of the last two editions of the race, racked up a total number of well over 400 million hours viewed in aggregate for the following EBU Member broadcasters: TV2 (Denmark); TV2 (Norway); ITV and S4C (UK); TG4 (Ireland); NOS (the Netherlands); VRT and RTBF (Belgium); RTL (Luxemburg); ARD (Germany); SRG-SSR (Switzerland); Czech TV (Czech Republic); RTV (Slovakia); RTV (Slovenia); RTVE (Spain); RTP (Portugal); and RAI (Italy). EBU Members’ broadcasts were complemented by pan-European coverage on the TV and digital platforms of Eurosport and Global Cycling Network, with Eurosport 1 and Eurosport 2 achieving an overall reach of 37 million viewers. The race also received widespread radio coverage from EBU Members across Europe throughout the 21 stages from early morning to late evening. The EBU Radio Members covering the event were notably DR (Denmark), NRK (Norway), CR (Czech Republic), RTVS (Slovakia), SR (Sweden), BBC (UK), VRT and RTBF (Belgium), NOS (Netherlands), SRG (Switzerland), ARD (Germany), RNE (Spain), RAI (Italy) and RTVS (Slovenia).

TV viewing With Vingegaard emerging as the first Danish winner of the Tour since 1996, after the first three stages were held in Denmark, this year’s race held a particular appeal for Danish viewers. This was reflected in the viewing figures of TV2, the national broadcaster, which won an overall viewing share of 71.9 per cent and an average audience of 685,000 viewers for its coverage (best figures since 1997). Other notable viewing share figures for broadcasters that are part of the EBU agreement included: • VRT: 69.4 per cent (best since at least 2011) • NOS: 50.6 per cent (best since at least 2011) • RTBF: 37.9 per cent (best since at least 2011) • RTV Slovenia: 35.3 per cent and an average audience of 143,000 viewers (historical record)

Peak audiences • TV2 Denmark scored the highest peak viewing share of the entire race: 82.35 per cent for its coverage of Stage 2, a flat stage that took in the Danish scenery from Roskilde to Nyborg; • TV2 Denmark also recorded an outstanding peak audience of 1,529,000 for its coverage of Stage 1, an individual time trial through the streets of the Danish capital, Copenhagen; • ARD won the best peak audience for a stage (2,911,456 for Stage 12), followed by RAI (1,965,900 for Stage 9) and RTVE (1,940,000 for Stage 12).

Digital viewing Strong linear coverage by EBU Members was accompanied by comprehensive and innovative digital coverage on their websites, apps, social media pages and OTT/streaming platforms. This included: • ARD’s sportschau.de streaming platform attracted 11 million viewers, more than twice as many as in 2021 • On 3 July (Stage 3), TV2 in Denmark registered an all-time high number of daily users at TV2.DK (1.9 million), and on 24 July (final stage) TV2 broke its record for users of TV2 PLAY, its on-demand platform • Daily unique visitors to VRT’s website Sporza.be averaged 691,432 between 1 July and 21 July, a 32-per-cent increase on the average number of daily unique visitors for the first six months of the year

Julien Goupil, Media and Partnership Director at A.S.O., said: “ Every year the subtle combination of free-to-air coverage by generalist EBU Member channels and Eurosport/GCN platforms allows us to showcase the biggest cycling race on Earth to reach a large audience throughout Europe. From Copenhagen where The Tour de France received one of its warmest welcome, to the Champs-Élysées after 21 exciting days of racing, the 2022 edition has thrilled millions of TV viewers on all continents. We are very happy to see such high ratings from EBU members showing the strength of the relationship between the Tour and European fans of all ages and backgrounds and providing all Tour de France stakeholders - hosting cities and regions, partners, participating teams and riders - a fantastic exposure associated with a complete digital ecosystem made of both Le Tour organic platforms and those of EBU Members This also corresponds perfectly with the results obtained by host broadcaster France Télévisions (41,3 per cent and an average of 4 million viewers every day with an increasing proportion among the youngest). We are convinced that this momentum will benefit as well the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift maiden edition that will see the greatest numbers ever for a women cycling race. More than ever, the Tour de France must be accessible to the greatest number as it is on the side of the roads. ”

Frederic Sanz, Head of Cycling at Eurovision Sport, said: “ As one of the most popular sporting events, the EBU is more than ever convinced that the Tour de France benefits from comprehensive coverage across Europe through the most popular free-to-air platforms of the EBU provided by its Members, together with Eurosport and Global Cycling Network. EBU Members have experienced this year some very strong average ratings and viewing shares, reaching and entertaining more and more fans, and generating increased visibility for sponsors and tourism authorities, with a specific focus this year on the beautiful Danish cities and landscapes where the Tour de France started for the first time ever. Eurovision Sport is absolutely thrilled to have contributed to this overall success. ”

In February 2020, Eurovision Sport and A.S.O. extended their media rights agreement for the Tour de France through to 2025. In addition, Eurovision Sport extended its agreement with Unipublic, a subsidiary of A.S.O, for the Vuelta a España, again through to 2025.

Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift This year’s Tour de France is followed by the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift, an eight-day stage race which began as the men’s race finished on the Champs-Élysées on 24 July and culminates on Sunday 31 July. EBU Members covering the race include: RTBF and VRT (Belgium); TV2 (Denmark); TG4 (Ireland); NOS (Netherlands); TV2 (Norway); TVE (Spain); and SRG SSR (Switzerland). Additionally, EBU Members France Télévisions (France) and ARD (Germany) are offering coverage of the race in deals negotiated directly with A.S.O., while Eurovision Sport has also negotiated coverage by Eurosport and Global Cycling Network across Europe.

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Tour de France very popular: highest European viewing numbers since 2015

• Multisports , News
• August 3, 2022

This year’s  Tour de France , which culminated on Sunday July 24, 2022, attracted the biggest TV audiences since 2015 for European Broadcasting Union (EBU) countries overall, in terms of hours viewed.

The race, which featured a duel for the Yellow Jersey between Jonas Vingegaard and Tadej Pogačar, Slovenia’s winner of the last two editions of the race, racked up a total number of well over 400 million hours viewed in aggregate for the following EBU member broadcasters:

TV2 (Denmark); TV2 (Norway); ITV and S4C (UK); TG4 (Ireland); NOS (the Netherlands); VRT and RTBF (Belgium); RTL (Luxemburg); ARD (Germany); SRG-SSR (Switzerland); Czech TV (Czech Republic); RTV (Slovakia); RTV (Slovenia); RTVE (Spain); RTP (Portugal); and RAI (Italy).

EBU members’ broadcasts were complemented by pan-European coverage on the TV and digital platforms of Eurosport and Global Cycling Network, with Eurosport 1 and Eurosport 2 achieving an overall reach of 37 million viewers.

The race also received widespread radio coverage from EBU members across Europe throughout the 21 stages from early morning to late evening. The EBU Radio Members covering the event were notably DR (Denmark), NRK (Norway), CR (Czech Republic), RTVS (Slovakia), SR (Sweden), BBC (UK), VRT and RTBF (Belgium), NOS (Netherlands), SRG (Switzerland), ARD (Germany), RNE (Spain), RAI (Italy) and RTVS (Slovenia).

TV viewing With Vingegaard emerging as the first Danish winner of the Tour since 1996, after the first three stages were held in Denmark, this year’s race held a particular appeal for Danish viewers. This was reflected in the viewing figures of TV2, the Danish national broadcaster, which won an overall viewing share of 71.9% and an average audience of 685,000 viewers for its coverage (best figures since 1997).

Other notable viewing share figures for broadcasters that are part of the EBU agreement included:

• VRT: 69.4% (best since at least 2011)
• NOS: 50.6% (best since at least 2011)
• RTBF: 37.9% (best since at least 2011)
• RTV Slovenia: 35.3% and an average audience of 143,000 viewers (historical record)

Peak audiences TV2 Denmark scored the highest peak viewing share of the entire race: 82.35% for its coverage of Stage 2, a flat stage that took in the Danish scenery from Roskilde to Nyborg.

TV2 Denmark also recorded a significant peak audience of 1,529,000 for its coverage of Stage 1, an individual time trial through the streets of the Danish capital, Copenhagen.

ARD won the best peak audience for a stage (2,911,456 for Stage 12), followed by RAI (1,965,900 for Stage 9) and RTVE (1,940,000 for Stage 12).

Digital viewing Strong coverage by EBU members was accompanied by comprehensive digital coverage on their websites, apps, social media pages and OTT/streaming platforms. This included:

• ARD’s sportschau.de streaming platform attracted 11 million viewers, more than twice as many as in 2021.
• On 3 July (Stage 3), TV2 in Denmark registered an all-time high number of daily users at TV2.DK (1.9 million), and on 24 July (final stage) TV2 broke its record for users of TV2 PLAY, its on-demand platform.
• Daily unique visitors to VRT’s website sporza.be averaged 691,432 between 1 July and 21 July, a 32% increase on the average number of daily unique visitors for the first six months of the year.

Julien Goupil, Media and Partnership Director at Tour de France organiser A.S.O., said “Every year the subtle combination of free-to-air coverage by generalist EBU member channels and Eurosport/GCN platforms allows us to showcase the biggest cycling race on Earth to reach a large audience throughout Europe.

“From Copenhagen where The Tour de France received one of its warmest welcome, to the Champs-Élysées after 21 exciting days of racing, the 2022 edition has thrilled millions of TV viewers on all continents.

“We are very happy to see such high ratings from EBU members showing the strength of the relationship between the Tour and European fans of all ages and backgrounds and providing all Tour de France stakeholders – hosting cities and regions, partners, participating teams and riders – a fantastic exposure associated with a complete digital ecosystem made of both Le Tour organic platforms and those of EBU members.”

Frederic Sanz, Head of Cycling at Eurovision Sport, said “As one of the most popular sporting events, the EBU is more than ever convinced that the Tour de France benefits from comprehensive coverage across Europe through the most popular free-to-air platforms of the EBU provided by its members, together with Eurosport and Global Cycling Network.

“EBU members have experienced this year some very strong average ratings and viewing shares, reaching and entertaining more and more fans, and generating increased visibility for sponsors and tourism authorities, with a specific focus this year on the beautiful Danish cities and landscapes where the Tour de France started for the first time ever. Eurovision Sport is absolutely thrilled to have contributed to this overall success.”

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This year’s Tour de France , which culminated on Sunday July 24, 2022, attracted the biggest TV audiences since 2015 for European Broadcasting Union (EBU) countries overall, in terms of hours viewed.

The race, which featured a duel for the Yellow Jersey between Jonas Vingegaard and Tadej Pogačar, Slovenia’s winner of the last two editions of the race, racked up a total number of well over 400 million hours viewed in aggregate for the following EBU member broadcasters:

TV2 (Denmark); TV2 (Norway); ITV and S4C (UK); TG4 (Ireland); NOS (the Netherlands); VRT and RTBF (Belgium); RTL (Luxemburg); ARD (Germany); SRG-SSR (Switzerland); Czech TV (Czech Republic); RTV (Slovakia); RTV (Slovenia); RTVE (Spain); RTP (Portugal); and RAI (Italy).

EBU members’ broadcasts were complemented by pan-European coverage on the TV and digital platforms of Eurosport and Global Cycling Network, with Eurosport 1 and Eurosport 2 achieving an overall reach of 37 million viewers.

The race also received widespread radio coverage from EBU members across Europe throughout the 21 stages from early morning to late evening. The EBU Radio Members covering the event were notably DR (Denmark), NRK (Norway), CR (Czech Republic), RTVS (Slovakia), SR (Sweden), BBC (UK), VRT and RTBF (Belgium), NOS (Netherlands), SRG (Switzerland), ARD (Germany), RNE (Spain), RAI (Italy) and RTVS (Slovenia).

TV viewing With Vingegaard emerging as the first Danish winner of the Tour since 1996, after the first three stages were held in Denmark, this year’s race held a particular appeal for Danish viewers. This was reflected in the viewing figures of TV2, the Danish national broadcaster, which won an overall viewing share of 71.9% and an average audience of 685,000 viewers for its coverage (best figures since 1997).

Other notable viewing share figures for broadcasters that are part of the EBU agreement included:

• VRT: 69.4% (best since at least 2011)
• NOS: 50.6% (best since at least 2011)
• RTBF: 37.9% (best since at least 2011)
• RTV Slovenia: 35.3% and an average audience of 143,000 viewers (historical record)

Peak audiences TV2 Denmark scored the highest peak viewing share of the entire race: 82.35% for its coverage of Stage 2, a flat stage that took in the Danish scenery from Roskilde to Nyborg.

TV2 Denmark also recorded a significant peak audience of 1,529,000 for its coverage of Stage 1, an individual time trial through the streets of the Danish capital, Copenhagen.

ARD won the best peak audience for a stage (2,911,456 for Stage 12), followed by RAI (1,965,900 for Stage 9) and RTVE (1,940,000 for Stage 12).

Digital viewing Strong coverage by EBU members was accompanied by comprehensive digital coverage on their websites, apps, social media pages and OTT/streaming platforms. This included:

• ARD’s sportschau.de streaming platform attracted 11 million viewers, more than twice as many as in 2021.
• On 3 July (Stage 3), TV2 in Denmark registered an all-time high number of daily users at TV2.DK (1.9 million), and on 24 July (final stage) TV2 broke its record for users of TV2 PLAY, its on-demand platform.
• Daily unique visitors to VRT’s website sporza.be averaged 691,432 between 1 July and 21 July, a 32% increase on the average number of daily unique visitors for the first six months of the year.

Julien Goupil, Media and Partnership Director at Tour de France organiser A.S.O., said “Every year the subtle combination of free-to-air coverage by generalist EBU member channels and Eurosport/GCN platforms allows us to showcase the biggest cycling race on Earth to reach a large audience throughout Europe.

“From Copenhagen where The Tour de France received one of its warmest welcome, to the Champs-Élysées after 21 exciting days of racing, the 2022 edition has thrilled millions of TV viewers on all continents.

“We are very happy to see such high ratings from EBU members showing the strength of the relationship between the Tour and European fans of all ages and backgrounds and providing all Tour de France stakeholders – hosting cities and regions, partners, participating teams and riders – a fantastic exposure associated with a complete digital ecosystem made of both Le Tour organic platforms and those of EBU members.”

Frederic Sanz, Head of Cycling at Eurovision Sport, said “As one of the most popular sporting events, the EBU is more than ever convinced that the Tour de France benefits from comprehensive coverage across Europe through the most popular free-to-air platforms of the EBU provided by its members, together with Eurosport and Global Cycling Network.

“EBU members have experienced this year some very strong average ratings and viewing shares, reaching and entertaining more and more fans, and generating increased visibility for sponsors and tourism authorities, with a specific focus this year on the beautiful Danish cities and landscapes where the Tour de France started for the first time ever. Eurovision Sport is absolutely thrilled to have contributed to this overall success.”

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Tour de France attracts 41.5 million viewers on FTV

This year’s edition of cycling’s Tour de France pulled in 41.5 million viewers on French public service broadcaster France Télévisions (FTV). The figure is the biggest Tour de France audience for the network’s main channel since 2011. Four race stages on FTV exceeded five million viewers, compared to two in 2021. Of that, 6.4 million watched the Briançon-Alpe d’Huez stage, marking the biggest audience for the stage since 2003. The broadcaster also drew an average of four million viewers for coverage on its FTV2 channel and 2.5 million on FTV3, representing an audience share of 41.3 per cent and 24.3 per cent respectively. As the Tour de France wrapped up, the start of the returning women’s Tour de France Femmes saw three million viewers watch on FTV2, securing the channel a 27.8 per cent audience share on the afternoon of July 24th ( CYCLING WEEKLY, 7/27 ).

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The Outer Line: Why was Tour de France TV viewership up in 2020?

Almost all american sports have seen a significant decline in tv viewership during this pandemic-abbreviated season. however, the american audience for the tour de france was the highest it’s been in ten years..

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As VeloNews recently reported, interest in the Tour de France seemed to be up this year. Some broadcasters, for example, Eurosport, indicated audience strong numbers for 2020 – though its reach is small compared to Europe’s free public channels, which most spectators watch.

But an analysis from Professor Daam Van Reeth of KU Leuven in Belgium – the preeminent economist studying television trends in pro cycling – shows that overall TV audiences across the traditional hotbeds of cycling in Europe were actually down this year.  According to Van Reeth, the only European country which saw an increased audience this year was Slovenia – not surprising, since two of its native sons were battling each other for supremacy in an exciting race.

The confusion results from the fact that there are several different ways to measure sports television audiences. The primary metrics vary around the issue of how long an individual viewer actually spends watching the event. The industry standard, and one which broadcasters use internally to track their performance, is called “average viewers per minute” – the definition is pretty self-evident. But race organizers or teams looking to promote sponsorship deals often latch on to other figures, to better prop up their case. One metric often used is called “total reach” – which is a rough measure of the total number of people that check in to the programming for at least some amount of time. Unfortunately, this figure is not very useful from a comparative perspective, because different countries measure it differently; the required time on-site to “count” as a viewer ranges from fifteen minutes all the way down to just one minute. This is a source of endless controversy and argument, and different parties tend to use the figures that best support their own purpose. But according to Van Reeth, total reach is a highly unreliable measure, and typically overstates the real audience by roughly a factor of ten. Van Reeth’s assertions have not made him popular with race organizers, but they were confirmed by executives from NBC Sports contacted by The Outer Line .

Despite this confusion, the interesting fact is that – in terms of the more accurate average viewers per minute – the total TV audience in the U.S. was truly up this year. Indeed, U.S. viewership of approximately 400,000 per stage was the highest it has been in ten years. This is shown in the chart below, prepared by Prof. Van Reeth for The Outer Line. 

(It’s important to keep the general context in mind here: in absolute terms, European TV viewership is far larger than the American market, but in relative terms, it was down this year, while American viewership was up.)

This finding is very interesting given the context of overall sports viewership in the United States. SportsPro Media reports that the NBA, NHL, and MLB all suffered double-digit domestic viewership declines this year, as rescheduled seasons and events were squeezed into the second half of 2020. Hockey audiences were down 61 percent and the NBA was down 51 percent. The World Series was the lowest-rated in history. The Kentucky Derby down 49 percent and the Masters golf tournament, in its new fall spot – although the most widely watched golf event of the year – had the lowest-rated viewership since 1947.

The SportsPro Media analysis continued. “On one evening in September, for example, U.S. sports fans could take their pick from the NBA and NHL postseason, NFL and MLB regular-season games, as well as the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA), Major League Soccer (MLS), college football, tennis’ US Open and the opening round of the PGA Tour’s Safeway Open.”

Back in mid-April, we also speculated that cycling TV coverage could suffer if lots of different sporting events were crammed into the end of the year. “In its normal July timeframe, the Tour doesn’t really have to compete against many other European sports, and hence has traditionally enjoyed extensive TV coverage. According to  The Sports Consultancy’s Angus Buchanan, there are at least 15 major sporting events that have already been rescheduled for September and October. He asks “How will this extraordinary increase in the number of events in this congested calendar compete for more limited budgets from broadcasters, sponsors, and the ticket-buying public?”

So, looking back at the season now, the question is: why was Tour viewership up in the United States while (1) it was generally down in the traditional cycling markets of western Europe, and (2) overall sports viewership is sharply down in the U.S.? Below, we offer several hypothetical explanations.

First, and most obviously, this year’s Tour de France was a pretty exciting race. It was very competitive, there were a lot of new faces, halfway through the race there were eight riders within a minute of each other. It truly wasn’t over until it was over – with Tadej Pogačar grabbing the yellow jersey off Primož Roglič’s back on the penultimate stage. Plus, an uphill time trial makes for pretty exciting viewing.

But there are likely some other critical reasons as well, ones which were verified by the executives we contacted at NBC Sports.  First, more people tend to be watching television in the fall – when this year’s Tour was run – rather than during its normal slot in the summer. This is for the simple reason that as the weather cools, more people tend to stay inside, and some of them are watching television.

But perhaps the key reason for the increased audience this year – particularly vis-à-vis the trend seen in other American sports – is simply our longitudinal position on the planet …. i.e., the Tour’s morning viewing slot in the United States. Virtually all of the other American sports cited above broadcast their games and compete against each other in the afternoon or evening; the Tour basically had its own exclusive time window in the morning with little or no competition. (Conversely, greater competition with other sporting events in the afternoon or evening, may at least partially explain why European viewing was down this year.)

And not only that; with so many Americans working from home this year due to the pandemic, there were undoubtedly numerous cycling fans who could take advantage of the situation to catch some footage of the Tour, whereas they might have been less likely to do so while working in a more traditional office environment in prior years.

All these factors, combined with the fact that it was actually an exciting race, can probably explain why this year’s Tour was the most-watched by Americans since Lance Armstrong made his celebrated comeback effort ten years ago.

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Tour de France Femmes a smash hit with French TV audience with nearly 20m viewers

Figures show that millions of people tuned into the action across the eight stages

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France TV has revealed nearly 20 million French viewers tuned into the first ever Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift last week.

The eight-day race was given more than 22 hours of live coverage on France Télévisions. 

It garnered just under half the viewers that the men's race did, an impressive haul for a first edition.

The Tour de France Femmes on average, captured approximately a quarter of the French Television audience during the week, with 2.25 million viewers across TV channels France 2 & 3. There was a clear trend in the figures rising as the race went on.

The overall peak was when 5.1 million viewers tuned in to catch the finish atop La Super Planche des Belles Filles when Movistar rider Annemiek Van Vleuten sealed her overall victory . Stage eight made up 45.6% of the overall audience share. 

In comparison, France Télévisions confirmed that 41.5 million French viewers watched the men’s edition of the race won by Jonas Vingegaard (Jumbo-Visma). The daily viewing figures peaked at 6.4 million for the Bastille Day stage to Alpe d’Huez which was won by Tom Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers) .

The race was shown in seven European countries, with a more than 14 million viewer reached via Eurosport. 

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It captured a huge 45% of the TV audience in the Netherlands at points as viewers made sure they caught the key action involving their riders Van Vleuten, Marianne Vos and Demi Vollering. 

People were equally as engaged with the Tour de France Femmes via online. 

The official race website attracted 1.5 million unique visitors, and 2.8 million visits in total. More than 600,000 people visited the live race centre service on the platform.

Online videos from across official Tour de France Femmes accounts were viewed 22 million times, all showing that a high number of people were absorbing the race and the conversation around it. 

Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig (FDJ Suez Futuroscope) took victory on stage three which proved to be the most popular online, particularly with her comical post stage interview. 

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Tom has been writing for Cycling Weekly since 2022 and his news stories, rider interviews and features appear both online and in the magazine. 

Since joining the team, he has reported from some of professional cycling's biggest races and events including the Tour de France and the World Championships in Glasgow. He has also covered races elsewhere across the world. 

As well as on the ground reporting, Tom writes race reports from the men's and women's WorldTour and helps with coverage of UK domestic cycling. 

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France Télévisions nets over 40m viewers for Tour de France

The iconic cycling race attracted a huge audience in France as Denmark's Jonas Vingegaard claimed victory.

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This year’s edition of cycling’s iconic Tour de France (TdF) attracted a large audience domestically as over 45 million tuned in across both free-to-air and pay-TV in the country.

The majority of the audience watched the free-to-air coverage of the race on France Télévisions as the public service broadcaster drew in a total of 41.5 million viewers .

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This marked the biggest TdF audience on the broadcaster’s main channel since 2011 as Danish rider Jonas Vingegaard claimed a maiden victory.

Elsewhere, another 4 million viewers tuned in on pan-European sports broadcaster Eurosport across the entire event which ran from July 1 to 24.

On France Télévisions, four stages exceeded 5 million viewers, compared to two in 2021, with a notable 6.4 million people watching the July 14 stage (Briançon-Alpe d'Huez), a record audience since 2003.

Eurosport also achieved a viewership record for its coverage of the 12th stage which averaged 218,000 viewers.

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According to France Télévisions, each viewer in the country watched an average of five hours and 41 minutes of the tour, 17 minutes more than in 2021, the highest figure since 2011.

The public service broadcaster attracted an average of 4 million viewers for coverage on its France 2 channel (41.3% audience share), and 2.5 million on France 3 (24.3%).

In Germany, an average of 1.2 million viewers watched the TdF on public service network ARD, which represented an audience share of 11%.

This was up 9.8% from last year’s audience of just over 1.1 million.

An additional 279,000 watched the prestigious cycling race on ARD’s in-house One channel.

ARD’s coverage of the ninth stage drew the largest viewership with 1.7 million tuning in (12.5% share).

The broadcaster’s sportschau.de streaming platform attracted 11 million viewers, which ARD claimed was more than twice as many as in 2021.

Eurosport also held pay-TV rights in Germany and drew an average of 235,000 viewers (2.4% share). It was the operator’s highest audience figure in the country since 2017.

In Norway, an average of 60,000 viewers watched the TdF on commercial broadcaster TV2, down 2,000 from last year.

For the final stage on Sunday (July 24), there was an average viewership of 72,000, while the audience peaked at 161,000.

Meanwhile, in the new women’s Tour de France Femmes, 3 million viewers tuned in to watch the start of the race on France 2 last Sunday after the men’s edition concluded.

This gave France 2 a 27.8% audience share on Sunday afternoon.

The women’s TdF has made a return this year after being removed in 2010. The race will run until this Sunday (July 31).

The remaining stages will be shown on France 3 and the Eurosport 1 channel.

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How To Watch the Tour de France in 2024

Cheer on your favorite riders and teams as the Tour de France races to NBC Sports platforms this summer.

Edited By Aaron Gates

Aug 5, 2024 2:45 PM ET | Share

The Tour de France pedals onto TV every summer—showcasing the world’s greatest road cyclists. As in recent seasons, NBC Sports will broadcast this year’s event across NBC and Peacock .

Peacock is our favorite service for watching the race because it carries every stage live and on demand. It’s also the streaming home of the Tour de France Femmes and Vuelta a España .

Keep scrolling for a closer look at watching Tour de France 2024 TV coverage—including the complete schedule with channel listings.

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• Tour de France channels
• Tour de France schedule
• Best ways to watch the Tour de France
• Watch the Tour de France for free

What channel shows the Tour de France?

You can watch the Tour de France on NBC and Peacock . You’ll get the most live coverage from Peacock because it streams every stage of the men’s and women’s races, plus the daily Tour de France Pre-Race Show . Meanwhile, NBC will carry select portions of the men’s Saturday stages—including an encore of Stage 20.

Can’t get enough of Le Tour? Check out the behind-the-scenes docuseries Tour de France: Unchained on Netflix . Each season covers the previous year’s tour by chronicling the experiences of top racers like Jasper Philipsen, Jonas Vingegaard, and Mark Cavendish.

2024 Tour de France TV schedule

This year’s Tour de France begins on June 29 in Italy before crossing into France on the fourth day. As usual, the 21-day route features a solid mix of flat to mountainous terrain. Two rest days break up the action before racers make their way to Nice—a departure from the usual Avenue des Champs-Élysées finish in Paris.

Data effective as of post date. Race times include Peacock’s live Tour de France Pre-Race Show coverage.

2024 Tour de France Femmes schedule

Just as the Summer Olympics wraps up in Paris, the Tour de France Femmes takes off from the Netherlands. This third edition of the women’s race features an eight-stage route that ends with a scenic climb in the Western Alpes.

Data effective as of post date.

Best Tour de France TV plans

A Peacock subscription is the best way to watch the Tour de France. Starting at $7.99 a month, the streaming service provides live and on-demand access to every stage of the men’s and women’s races. You’ll also get daily pre- and post-race studio coverage during the men’s competition, plus race highlights and rider interviews. During the 2024 race, episodes of Lance Armstrong’s THEMOVE podcast will also be available for on-demand access via Peacock.

If you’re only interested in Le Tour, you can cancel your Peacock subscription after the final stage. Otherwise, the service’s cycling coverage doesn’t stop there. Peacock hosts the Liège–Bastogne–Liège, Critérium du Dauphiné, Vuelta a España, and Paris Tours. It’s also home to the Paris Olympics , which features road race and track cycling events days after the Tour de France ends.

Fan verdict: At CableTV.com, we’ll be watching the 2024 Tour de France on Peacock because it’s the only platform in the U.S. that provides live coverage of every stage. This exclusivity is crucial for dedicated fans who want to experience the race in its entirety. Peacock also offers the advantage of full-stage replays, which is especially important because of the race’s early start times.

Which TV providers carry the Tour de France?

Besides Peacock, most TV services carry Tour de France coverage via NBC. Our table below illustrates which popular providers offer the two channels.

Data effective as of post date. *Available in select markets.

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Enter your zip code below to find local TV and internet options worthy of the yellow jersey.

How can I watch the Tour de France for free?

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The most convenient way to watch the Tour de France for free is by using an over-the-air (OTA) antenna to pick up your local NBC station. Unfortunately, NBC doesn’t show a lot of race coverage—only three Saturday presentations. But it never hurts having an antenna in your TV setup.

If you don’t have an antenna, most cost between $20.00 and $60.00. We recommend the Mohu Leaf 50 for its 60-mile range and slim design. But you’ll want to verify the distance of your nearest NBC station by entering your zip code into the Federal Communications Commission’s Reception Map Tool . That’ll help determine if you need a more robust antenna, which we feature on our Best OTA Antennas page.

Can I stream the Tour de France for free? You can watch select Tour de France stages for free using a live TV streaming trial . Otherwise, you can also catch free race recaps on NBC Sports’ YouTube channel .

How to watch the Tour de France FAQ

Can you watch the tour de france on nbc.

Yes, some Tour de France coverage airs on NBC. But you’ll want a Peacock Premium subscription to watch every stage from start to finish.

How can I watch today’s Tour de France stage?

If today’s date is between June 29 and July 21, you can watch the current Tour de France stage live and on demand via Peacock . Check out our complete Tour de France 2024 schedule for race start times and channel listings.

Does Peacock include the Tour de France world feed?

No, Peacock won’t stream the 2024 Tour de France world feed. While the service carried the world feed in 2023, subscribers will only get NBC Sports-produced coverage in 2024. That means you’re stuck with play-by-play caller Phil Liggett, analyst Bob Roll, and reporters Steve Porino and Christian Vande Velde. You can work around this by using a VPN set to Canada and signing up for FloBikes, which features Eurosport’s coverage with commentators Anthony McCrossan and Nicolas Roche.

Is every cycling Grand Tour race on NBC?

No, not every race in the Grand Tour of Cycling airs on NBC. While NBC Sports channels and platforms televise the Tour de France and Vuelta a España, the Giro d’Italia streams on Max’s  B/R Sports Add-On .

What cycling events are on Peacock?

Popular cycling events featured on Peacock include the Tour de France, Vuelta a España , and Olympic cycling . Other major UCI World Tour races like the Giro d’Italia, Milan–San Remo, and Tour of Flanders stream on services like FloBikes and Max’s B/R Sports Add-On .

Is there an official Tour de France app?

Yes, you can heighten your Tour de France viewing experience by downloading the official mobile app on your Android or iOS device. The app comes with course maps, real-time stats, and live commentary.

Why you should trust us

Our sports experts researched and tested the best ways to watch this year’s Tour de France. We examined which channels and platforms carry each Tour de France stage, then determined our viewing recommendations based on race coverage, pricing, and ease of use.

Check out our How We Rank page to learn more about our methods.

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Eurosport’s UK Grand Tour cycling TV viewership up 68% YoY

Linear audience for la vuelta increased 95% compared to 2019..

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• Tour de France (48%) and Giro d’Italia (82%) also see audience growth
• Giro FTA highlights on Quest also see 44% YoY increase

Pay-TV broadcaster Eurosport has seen significant annual growth for its UK cycling coverage, with the 2020 season’s three Grand Tours collectively seeing a 68 per cent uptick in linear viewership against the 2019 races.

Despite the Tour de France, Giro d’Italia and La Vuelta all being crammed into a disrupted post-lockdown cycling calendar, all three were watched on the Discovery-owned network by significantly more viewers. The Tour’s linear audience was up 48 per cent year-over-year; 82 per cent more viewers tuned in for the 2020 Giro d’Italia compared to the 2019 race; and La Vuelta scored a staggering 95 per cent more viewers this year than last.

Tour de France draws 40m domestic TV viewers

Audiences were also up on Discovery’s UK free-to-air (FTA) and direct-to-consumer (DTC) channels, with Giro d’Italia highlights up 44 per cent on the Quest linear channel, supplemented by a 62 per cent increase on Discovery’s on demand platform, Dplay. Giro highlights ranked as October’s number one programme on the service, which is set to be rebranded as Dicovery+.

Simon Downing, head of Eurosport UK, said: “We’ve been working tirelessly to ensure we can still provide the best possible viewing experience for fans despite the unprecedented circumstances, and it’s hugely satisfying to see this work pay off.

“Discovery’s wide portfolio of channels allows us to also operate in a free-to-air space to extend audience reach, whilst the partnership with Global Cycling Network is integral to strengthening our cycling offer by leveraging their knowledge and expertise across a global network.”

After Discovery acquired a majority share in the Global Cycling Network’s (GCN) Play Sports Group parent company in 2019, Eurosport and the digital cycling media firm partnered for the first time this year to start delivering a variety of multi-platform content.

This year also saw Eurosport secure an extension to its broadcast rights agreement to continue showing every minute of every stage of the Tour de France until at least 2025, with exclusive coverage in 38 markets across Europe.

Eurosport has seen significant annual growth for its UK cycling coverage