The final of the Champions Trophy 2025, played between India and New Zealand on March 9, amassed 65.3 billion live viewing minutes, making it the most-watched Champions Trophy match ever, according to broadcast viewership figures released by the International Cricket Council.
The marquee event was jointly hosted by Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates.
The previous record was held by the 2017 final between India and Pakistan. The India vs New Zealand final also became the third-most watched ICC match of all time. In India, it ranked as the third-most watched cricket match, behind only the ODI World Cup 2023 semi-final against New Zealand and the final of the same tournament against Australia.
The Champions Trophy 2025 recorded 368 billion viewing minutes, making it the most-watched edition of the tournament in history. The event also witnessed a 19 percent increase in viewership compared to the 2017 edition, which was held in England and Wales.
Additionally, the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 drew an average of 308 million global viewing minutes per over, the highest ever for any ICC event.
Coverage in India was broadcast across 29 channels in nine languages, including the return of the award-winning Indian Sign Language feed and Audio Descriptive Commentary. These inclusive innovations ensured that all fans could enjoy the drama of the tournament, culminating in it becoming the most-watched Champions Trophy ever in the country.
The tournament also recorded the highest proportion of digital watch time for any ICC event in India.
Australia also registered its highest-ever viewership for the Champions Trophy, with overall viewing hours up by 65 percent compared to 2017.
Commenting on the remarkable growth in viewership, ICC Chairman Jay Shah said this reflects cricket’s expanding global footprint:
“We are delighted to share that the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 has achieved record-breaking global viewership, making it the most-watched edition of the tournament to date. These remarkable numbers reflect the growing global appeal of the game and the strength of our partnerships,” said Shah as quoted by the ICC.
Even though Pakistan did not reach the final, viewing hours rose by 24 percent compared to the 2017 edition.
(With ICC Inputs)
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