The Women’s European Championship final set a record audience

Women’s Euro Cup
Justin Thales/AFP

England’s dramatic 2-1 victory over Germany in the Women’s European Cup final on Sunday set a record viewership in the UK: 17.4 million people watched the match on TV. The Resolution received the highest ratings for a women’s soccer match in British television history and was the most watched television event of the year.

The audience that was a record at the time this year was the broadcast of celebrations for the 70th anniversary of the reign of Elizabeth II, in June, when 13.4 million people watched the events. BBC Director-General Tim Davy said: “We are extremely proud to have championed women’s football and are thrilled to be able to deliver such a special sporting moment to the public.”

Attendance at the Women’s European Cup Final was also a record, with 87,192 fans at the historic Wembley Stadium to watch the match. It was the largest audience in Euro history, with men’s football in mind as well.

With the European Championship title, England will be the opponent of the Brazilian team in the final, putting the European champions and Copa America champions face to face. Until then, the UK women’s football record had been set in England’s defeat to the United States in the World Cup semi-finals in 2019, when 11.7 million people watched the match.

Ella Tone and Chloe Kelly scored England’s goals in the country’s unprecedented victory in the European Championship. It is the biggest achievement in English football since the men’s team won the World Cup in 1966.