June 10 (Reuters) – The audience for the Women’s Champions League surged in the 2025/26 season, with viewership more than doubling and expected to reach at least 44.5 million, European soccer’s governing body UEFA said in a report.
More than 39.7 million viewers tuned in across the competition before the final, while matches were broadcast in 207 territories, with 30 free-to-air partners showing the final, making it the most widely available title match to date, the report added.
Social media engagement also climbed sharply, with 947 million video views (+50% year-on-year), 1.49 billion impressions (+44%) and 52 million engagements (+16%).
UEFA said nearly half of all matches (49%) were decided by a single goal or drawn, while 33% featured comebacks, highlighting increased competitive balance in the revamped format.
“From a sporting perspective, the level has been outstanding and from a viewership perspective the competition has set a new benchmark for the women’s club game,” Nadine Kessler, UEFA’s Women’s Football Director, said.
“And of course, the final itself, another sold-out occasion in a historic women’s football nation like Norway, delivered everything we hoped for and more.”
The season concluded on May 23 when a sold-out crowd at Oslo’s Ullevaal Stadion saw Barcelona beat Olympique Lyonnais to lift the trophy.
(Reporting by Karan Prashant Saxena in Bengaluru; Editing by Toby Chopra)
