England’s heartbreaking 2-1 defeat to the United States in the semi-final of the Women’s World Cup became the most-watched television event of the year so far in the United Kingdom, with a peak audience of 11.7 million tuning in.
The Lionesses’ dramatic exit, marked by a missed late penalty and a goal ruled out for offside, captured the attention of over 50% of the TV audience during the match, according to figures released by the BBC.
This was the fourth time during the tournament that a new record for UK viewership of a women’s football match had been set, reflecting the growing popularity of the sport.
“It’s moved from being an interesting Olympic-type sport to an absolute mainstream sport,” former Football Association chief executive Martin Glenn told the BBC. He emphasized that the increased visibility is key to attracting more girls and women to the game and making the Women’s Super League a more popular and competitive product.
While the men’s World Cup semi-final between England and Croatia last year drew a peak audience of 26.5 million, the growing numbers for women’s football mark a significant shift in the sport’s profile.
