Record-Breaking Viewership for ICC Men's Champions Trophy 2025
ICC Men's Champions Trophy 2025 Sees Unprecedented Global Viewership
On Wednesday, the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced remarkable broadcast viewership statistics following the ICC Men's Champions Trophy 2025, which took place in Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates. The event achieved a staggering 368 billion global viewing minutes, marking it as the most-watched ICC Men's Champions Trophy to date, with a 19% increase compared to the 2017 tournament held in England and Wales.
The tournament also recorded an impressive 308 million global viewing minutes per over, the highest ever for any ICC event. The final match in Dubai, where India triumphed over New Zealand on March 9, became the most viewed ICC Men's Champions Trophy match, amassing 65.3 billion live viewing minutes globally, surpassing the previous record from the 2017 final by 52.1%.
India vs New Zealand Final Ranks High in Viewership
The exhilarating final ranks as the third most-watched ICC match globally based on live viewing time. In India, it stands as the third most viewed ICC match ever, only behind the India vs. New Zealand semi-final at the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023 and the final of that same tournament between India and Australia.
The coverage in India was extensive, spanning 29 channels and nine languages, and included innovative features like the Indian Sign Language feed and Audio Descriptive Commentary, ensuring that all fans could experience the excitement of the Champions Trophy. This led to it being the most-watched Champions Trophy in India.
Additionally, the event saw the highest percentage of viewing time from digital platforms for any ICC tournament in India, with the MaxView feed, developed in collaboration with the ICC, offering an engaging mobile viewing experience.
Australia also witnessed record viewership, with overall viewing hours increasing by 65% compared to 2017. The introduction of a Hindi language feed and exclusive coverage on Amazon Prime Video contributed to the highest viewership for any ICC event on that platform.
Record Viewership in the USA
In the USA, despite less favorable match timings, fans recorded a 38% increase in viewing time compared to the 2017 event.
Jay Shah, the ICC Chairman, expressed delight over the record-breaking global viewership, stating, "These remarkable numbers reflect the growing global appeal of the game and the strength of our partnerships." He acknowledged the innovative efforts of the JioStar network in India, which provided live coverage across 29 unique broadcast feeds in nine languages, significantly enhancing audience reach and engagement.
Shah also noted the impressive growth in markets like Australia, where Amazon Prime Video saw a 65% increase in viewership, and in the United States, where Willow TV experienced a notable rise in audience figures despite challenging match timings. He concluded by emphasizing that these milestones highlight the expanding footprint of cricket and the passion of fans worldwide. Despite the hosts not achieving back-to-back Champions Trophy victories, viewing hours in Pakistan increased by 24% compared to their 2017 trophy-winning campaign.