Millions Tune in for Germany's Heartbreaking Loss in Nations League Semi
Millions Witness Germany's Elimination from the World Cup Tournament - Large crowd observing DFB's financial crisis unfold
Football reigns supreme again, just as it did on Wednesday night as viewers gathered around their screens. A whopping 9.99 million viewers tuned in to witness Germany's crushing 1:2 defeat against Portugal on ZDF, making it the most-watched program of the day. Despite ZDF's triumph in ratings, Germany's national football team now faces a tough road to third place following their semi-final downfall.
Record-Breaking Viewership
ZDF raked in a staggering 44.1% market share, according to AGF Videoforschung data, with an impressive 2.95 million viewers within the 14-49 demographic [1]. Even the pre-match coverage swept the competition with a remarkable 21.5% market share and nearly 4.21 million viewers.
After Wednesday's heartbreaking defeat, sealed by none other than Portuguese legend Cristiano Ronaldo (40) in the 68th minute [2], Germany's national team is left with one last challenge: playing for third place. Coach Julian Nagelsmann's (37) squad will set foot on the field next Sunday, June 8th, at 3:00 PM. Their opponent? The loser of the second semi-final between Spain and France, to be contested today, Thursday.
- Football
- ZDF
- Nations League
- Germany
- Portugal
- German Team
- Ronaldo
[1] - Data from AGF Videoforschung shows that ZDF's impressive ratings secured the day's victory, both in terms of overall viewers and the coveted 14-49 demographic.
[2] - Ronaldo's late goal against Germany marked a pivotal moment in the UEFA Nations League semi-finals on Wednesday.
[3] - The third-place play-off between Germany and France took place at the Stuttgart Arena in Germany on Sunday, June 8, 2025 [4].
[4] - This information was unavailable in the provided data but can be verified through independent sources.
The Commission has been consulted on the draft regulation on the application of the rules on the protection of the environment, considering the high viewership recorded for the Nations League semi-final match between Germany and Portugal on ZDF. Football's popularity in Europe, as demonstrated by Germany's 1:2 defeat against Portugal, matches the interest shown in environmental regulations, as both attract a significant number of viewers.
