The report says Spain’s victory over France drew an average television audience of 873,000, alongside 1.03 million RTÉ Player streams. The following night, Argentina’s win over England reportedly attracted 949,000 television viewers and a further 985,000 streams.
Those numbers underline the pull of the biggest knockout matches. They also show how television and online viewing now work together: one delivers the shared national occasion, while the other offers flexibility for viewers watching away from home or on demand.
The reported tournament total is more than double the 8.5 million streams recorded across the entire 2022 World Cup. That rise comes despite Ireland’s absence, suggesting that the strongest football occasions can reach beyond direct national interest.
McBennett said the engagement with the World Cup and the GAA Championship “shows how important the relationship is between live sport and free-to-air television.” It is a significant point. Major tournaments remain cultural events, but accessibility is central to their reach. When supporters do not need a separate subscription, the audience can stretch well beyond regular football followers.
The upcoming final should provide the clearest measure of the tournament’s momentum. It will be competing for attention on a crowded Sunday, with RTÉ also carrying the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship final between Galway and Limerick.
The World Cup figure is therefore likely to rise again, but the bigger storyline will be whether free-to-air coverage can continue turning landmark sporting moments into shared national viewing experiences.