Television broadcaster ARD garnered impressive viewership figures during its debut broadcast. - Broadcasting Corporation of Germany (ARD) secures top opening quotas
The Women's Football European Championship 2022, currently underway in Switzerland, is witnessing a significant surge in viewership, with Germany's national broadcasters ARD and ZDF playing a crucial role.
The tournament, which kicked off on Wednesday evening with the opening match between Switzerland and Norway, has shown a clear upward trend compared to current viewership. The opening match, broadcast on ARD, attracted an average audience of 3.17 million viewers, achieving a 17.3% market share among the total audience.
ARD's performance during the tournament has been notably strong, particularly in the 14-49 age group. In fact, during the entire UEFA Women's EURO 2022, ARD reported that even matches without German participation attracted more than 5 million viewers in some cases, indicating strong viewership across the tournament.
The final match between Germany and England was watched by around 18 million viewers in Germany alone, showcasing peak engagement on ARD and other broadcasters. This figure underscores the growing interest in women's football in Germany, a trend that is part of a broader surge in women's football viewership globally.
The UEFA Women's EURO 2022 had a global viewership surpassing 370 million, an almost eightfold increase compared to 2009, reflecting growing international appeal. This growing international interest also benefited broadcasters like ARD domestically.
ZDF will also join the broadcasting line-up, covering potential knockout games of the German team, including the final on July 27 at 18:00 in Basel. All evening games will be accompanied by the "sportstudio live" format, providing comprehensive coverage to viewers.
In addition to ARD and ZDF, DAZN is also involved in the broadcast of the Women's Football European Championship. The earlier match between Iceland and Finland had a reach of 1.59 million viewers.
The Women's Football European Championship continues until July 27, with Germany's first two group matches being broadcast on ARD: against Poland on July 4 at 21:00 in St. Gallen and against Denmark on July 8 at 18:00 in Basel. ZDF will cover the final group match of the German national team against Sweden on July 12 (Zurich, 21:00).
The tournament has set new records for women's football popularity with collective attendance of 574,875 fans and an average attendance of 18,544 per game, signaling a rise in interest that likely supported TV ratings too. With ARD and ZDF at the helm of broadcasting, it's expected that the viewership will continue to soar, establishing a solid platform for continued growth in women's football viewership in Germany.
As the tournament progresses, fans can look forward to engaging and comprehensive coverage, ensuring they don't miss a moment of the action.
The current increase in viewership for The Women's Football European Championship 2022 is not limited to Germany, as the tournament has shown a clear upward trend compared to current viewership, with matches being broadcast in various European-leagues. The strong viewership experienced by ARD, especially in the 14-49 age group, also indicates a growing interest in sports like football among younger viewers.
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