The World Cup is experiencing a strong finish: After interest had waned somewhat following the early exit of the German national team, the exciting knockout games are now once again delivering top ratings. The second semi-final between Argentina and England even eclipsed the strong result of the first semi-final.
Argentina's dramatic last-minute 2-1 victory against England attracted an average of 13.7 million viewers to their screens on ARD, according to AGF Videoforschung. This means that around one million more people watched the match than the first semi-final between Spain and France on ZDF the evening before.
Argentina versus England Becomes Highest-Rated Game Without German Participation
The duel between the two football nations became the most successful World Cup game without German participation at this tournament so far. The market share among the total audience was a strong 56.4 percent.
Interest was particularly high among younger viewers: In the 14 to 49 age group, the broadcast achieved a market share of 68.5 percent. Among 14 to 59-year-olds, it was 62.3 percent.
However, as with all World Cup games, the following applies: Not all fans are included in the TV figures. Viewers who watched the match via MagentaTV or, for example, at public viewings and in bars are not recorded in the traditional viewing figures.
For the pre- and post-match coverage surrounding the semi-final, ARD reports a combined average reach of 5.82 million viewers. The market share here was 35.3 percent among the total audience and 46.9 percent in the 14 to 49 age group.
After the two semi-finals, the third-place match and the grand final remain. While the third-place match between France and England will air exclusively on MagentaTV on Saturday at 11 p.m., ZDF will broadcast the decision for the World Cup title live on Sunday, July 19, starting at 7:30 p.m. Kickoff is at 9 p.m.
