Mumbai: ZEE5 recorded 46.99 million unique viewers for the FIFA World Cup 2026™, according to viewership data released by Chrome DM COTT, India’s OTT audience measurement platform.
The measurement covered two key periods — the full tournament from June 12 to July 12, 2026, and the Quarter Finals window from July 10 to July 12, 2026. Zee Entertainment had secured exclusive India digital rights for the tournament, with matches streamed live on ZEE5 alongside broadcast on Unite8 Sports channels.
According to Chrome DM COTT data, male audiences accounted for 41.45 million viewers, representing 88% of total tournament viewership, while female viewers contributed 5.53 million viewers or 12%. During the Quarter Finals, total viewership reached 34.75 million, with male viewers accounting for 31.70 million (91%) and female viewers at 3.05 million (9%).
The knockout stage witnessed a significant surge in audience concentration, with the Quarter Finals alone contributing 73.9% of the full tournament’s total viewership in just three days. The data indicated increased engagement among male sports audiences as the tournament progressed towards its decisive stages.
The M 25–35 audience segment emerged as the largest viewer group during the full tournament, contributing 16.58 million viewers and accounting for 35% of total viewership. The M 18–24 segment followed with 12.44 million viewers, while the M 35+ segment contributed 7.46 million viewers. Among female audiences, the F 25–35 segment led with 2.10 million viewers.
West Bengal emerged as the leading state by viewership with 9.59 million viewers, followed by the Northeast region with 7.33 million and Kerala with 6.20 million. Karnataka recorded 5.92 million viewers, while Tamil Nadu contributed 4.41 million. The Others category accounted for 13.53 million viewers, indicating wider national interest beyond traditional football markets.
Device-wise, mobile remained the dominant viewing platform with 26.73 million viewers during the full tournament, while connected TV (CTV) contributed 6.16 million viewers. An additional 14.10 million viewers accessed the tournament across both mobile and CTV platforms, reflecting multi-screen consumption behaviour among sports audiences.
During the Quarter Finals, mobile viewership stood at 18.59 million, while CTV viewership increased to 6.26 million. Chrome DM COTT noted that the rise in large-screen viewing reflected stronger engagement during high-stakes matches.
Commenting on the viewership trends, Riya Maity, Business Head – Chrome Digital, said, “The FIFA World Cup 2026 data on ZEE5 is one of the more distinctive viewership stories we’ve tracked — 46.99 Mn across the full tournament, with 34.75 Mn coming in just the Quarter Finals window alone. The state profile tells you exactly where football lives in India: West Bengal, the Northeast, and Kerala together account for nearly half the total reach. The CTV number is also worth noting — 6.16 Mn on the big screen for a live sports event is a meaningful signal for advertisers. This is an audience that was genuinely invested.”
Chrome DM COTT’s analysis also highlighted the role of digital platforms in expanding access to global sporting events, with younger audiences and regional football markets contributing significantly to the tournament’s reach on ZEE5.
