England’s thrilling comeback win against DR Congo drew a massive peak audience of 16.3 million viewers on Wednesday. The match, which saw Harry Kane net two late goals to secure England’s spot in the round of 16, averaged 14 million viewers on BBC TV—the network’s highest-rated broadcast of the year.
Digital engagement was equally significant, with 10.4 million additional streams recorded across BBC iPlayer, the BBC Sport app, and the website. Globally, the live coverage page surpassed 20 million views, marking a banner day for BBC digital platforms. Having overcome an early seven-minute deficit, England now prepares to face Mexico at the Estadio Azteca on Monday at 01:00 BST.
Addressing the timing of the next match, which falls on a school night for many young supporters, head coach Thomas Tuchel jokingly encouraged parents to provide school excuse notes so children can witness the event. The tournament continues to dominate media consumption, accounting for over a third of all BBC iPlayer streaming hours during the final week of group play, alongside hundreds of millions of video views on social media.
