Women's World Cup final viewership up 20 percent compared to men's
The U.S. women’s soccer team won over plenty of fans during their run to a World Cup victory. Ratings went up with each game the team played, to the point where the women’s World Cup final scored higher ratings than the men’s final in 2018, according to Variety.
As Variety explains, the women saw steady improvement in their ratings throughout the tournament before eventually topping the men’s ratings in the final.
Sunday’s final posted a 10.0 overnight metered market rating. For comparison, the semifinal scored a 5.5 in the same demographic and went on to a total of just over 7 million viewers, while the quarter final against the host nation France posted a a 4.9 and ended up with 6.12 million total viewers. That metered market figure is up 20% on last year’s men’s World Cup final, which scored an 8.3 and was watched by a total of 12.5 million viewers.
That figure does come with a caveat, however. The U.S. men’s team did not qualify for the World Cup in 2018. That would skew the figures in the United States.
Still, it’s undeniable the 2019 U.S. women’s soccer team inspired plenty of people to get on the bandwagon as the World Cup went along. The team not only had a successful run, but Megan Rapinoe’s feud with President Donald Trump, combined with the team’s fight for equal pay, may have drawn in more casual soccer fans.
The women’s team also peaked at 20 million viewers during their 2-0 win in the final against Netherlands. That makes that game the second most-watched English language soccer match in the U.S. since 2015.
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Chris Cwik is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at christophercwik@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Chris_Cwik
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