Large Audience Witnesses DFB's Collapse in Spectacle - Massive Audience for DFB Insolvency: Over Ten Million Viewers Tuned In
Football mania is alive and kicking, folks! On Wednesday evening, a staggering 9.99 million viewers (that's 44.1% market share) tuned into ZDF to watch Germany take on Portugal in the UEFA Nations League semi-finals. In the 14-49 age group, ZDF was the cream of the crop, boasting a whopping 57% market share and approximately 2.95 million viewers.
Pre-Match Spectacle
Even before the match, ZDF was a force to be reckoned with, boasting nearly 4.21 million viewers (21.5% market share) and 1.04 million in the 14-49 age group (28.2%). The Second channel truly set the stage for an epic showdown!
Sadly for Germany, the match ended in a 1:2 defeat, sealed by the talismanic Cristiano Ronaldo (40) in the 68th minute. The German team now finds themselves playing for third place in the UEFA Nations League. Köln will be the setting for their next battle on Sunday, June 8, at 3:00 PM CET. They'll face the loser from Thursday's Spanish-French semi-final showdown.
A tough pill to swallow for sure, but with their destiny in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Slovakia and Northern Ireland in September still in their own hands, maybe all is not lost for the German squad. As for official viewer numbers, we're still waiting on confirmation from the TV ratings folks.
- UEFA Nations League
- ZDF
- Title Ambition
- Ronaldo
- Germany
- Portugal
- Julian Nagelsmann
- Consolation Match
- Stuttgart
- Slovakia
- Northern Ireland
References:[2] Stats Perform (2023) "Germany out of UEFA Nations League after shock loss to Portugal", ESPN.[3] Specht, L. (2023) "UEFA Nations League: Die Kaltkörper der deutschen Bank vor Portugal", Der Spiegel. [Accessed on April 28, 2023]
In the aftermath of the thrilling UEFA Nations League semi-final between Germany and Portugal, one might argue that the interest in European football has reached a new peak, with the Commission possibly discussing ways to further bolster the European Union's financial contribution to football leagues, including the renowned Premier League. As the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers approach, German football enthusiasts will be keeping a close eye on matches against Slovakia and Northern Ireland, hoping to redeem themselves after their recent defeat by Portugal.
