FIFA World Cup 2026: RTÉ Delivers Record Digital Audiences Across Broadcast and Streaming

RTÉ’s coverage of the FIFA World Cup 2026 is demonstrating the growing importance of integrated, multi-platform broadcasting, with record-breaking audiences across television, streaming, social media and audio.

Between 11 and 28 June, football fans generated 9.2 million streams on RTÉ Player, already exceeding the platform’s total streaming figure for the entire 2022 FIFA World Cup. During the same period, live television coverage on RTÉ2 and RTÉ2+1 reached 2.9 million unique viewers, highlighting the continued strength of free-to-air broadcasting alongside digital consumption.

The figures illustrate how audiences increasingly engage with major sporting events across multiple channels, offering valuable lessons for marketers seeking to maximise reach and engagement.

Strong television and streaming performance

The tournament’s biggest audience so far came from England v Croatia on 17 June, attracting an average television audience of 615,000 viewers and achieving a 51% audience share on RTÉ2. The match also generated 404,000 streams on RTÉ Player, making it the most-streamed fixture of the tournament to date.

Other standout performances included:

• England v Ghana – approximately 500,000 viewers, a 43% audience share on RTÉ2 and 334,000 RTÉ Player streams
• Mexico v South Africa – 484,000 viewers, a 41% audience share and 364,000 RTÉ Player streams

Matches featuring football powerhouses including France, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands and England have consistently delivered strong audiences throughout the group stages.

Digital engagement continues to grow

Beyond live broadcasts, RTÉ Sport’s digital platforms are seeing significant engagement. To date, tournament content has generated 23 million video views across RTÉ Sport’s social media channels, including more than 4 million views on the RTÉ Sport YouTube channel through highlights, analysis and match coverage.

The broadcaster has also expanded its audio and on-demand offering throughout the tournament. Coverage continues across RTÉ Radio 1’s Inside Sport, Saturday Sport and Sunday Sport, while the RTÉ Soccer Podcast provides daily updates and expert analysis from commentators both in Ireland and on location in North America.

Meanwhile, Up All Night, hosted by The Young Offenders stars Dominic MacHale and Shane Casey, offers viewers overnight highlights and discussion through RTÉ Player, RTÉ Radio Player and RTÉ2, reflecting the broadcaster’s approach to meeting audiences wherever and whenever they choose to consume content.

A case study in integrated audience strategy

As the FIFA World Cup moves into the knockout stages, RTÉ’s audience figures demonstrate the effectiveness of a fully integrated content strategy spanning broadcast, streaming, social media, radio and podcasting.

For marketers, the tournament offers a timely reminder that today’s audiences no longer consume major live events through a single channel. Success increasingly depends on creating connected experiences across multiple platforms, allowing consumers to engage with content in the formats and at the times that best suit them.

Heineken 0.0 is the broadcast sponsor of RTÉ’s FIFA World Cup 2026 coverage.