Record 17.4m peak TV audience see Euro 2022 final

England’s Euro 2022 final win over Germany was watched by a peak BBC One television audience of 17.4 million, making it the most-watched women’s football game on UK television.

The 2-1 extra-time win is also the most-watched programme in the UK so far in 2022.

There were a further 5.9 million streams of the game on the BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website and app.

A record crowd of 87,192 watched the game at Wembley Stadium.

Ella Toone and Chloe Kelly got the goals as the Lionesses gave England a first victory in a major international tournament since the men’s World Cup triumph of 1966.

“We are incredibly proud to have championed women’s football and are thrilled we were able to bring such a special sporting moment to the public,” said BBC director-general Tim Davie.

“This was the most-watched women’s football game on UK television of all-time and the most-watched programme in 2022 so far – and deservedly so. Everyone at the BBC is delighted at the win and being able to share that with the public.”

The previous most-watched programme of the year had been the Party at the Palace event, part of June’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations, which had a peak audience of 13.4 million.

The previous highest peak TV audience for women’s football in the UK was 11.7 million for England’s World Cup semi-final defeat by the United States in 2019.

The Lionesses will celebrate their triumph at a fan celebration at Trafalgar Square, London which will be shown on BBC One, the BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website from 1235 BST.

Last year’s Euro 2020 final between England and Italy at Wembley, which was broadcast on both the BBC and ITV, peaked at 30.95 million viewers with an average of 29.85 million watching.

That was the highest TV audience since the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales in 1997.

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