KEY POINTS
- The ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 gains a record 368 billion global viewing minutes
- The tournament captivated global audiences with a 19% surge in viewership over 2017
- Coverage in India drove unprecedented viewership
ISLAMABAD: In a twist rich with irony and triumph, India’s refusal to play on Pakistani soil did little to dim the global spotlight shining on the ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025.
On Wednesday, Jay Shah- the Indian-born Chairman of the International Cricket Council (ICC) stepped forward to unveil jaw-dropping global viewership figures that crowned the event as the most watched Champions Trophy in cricket history.
Despite geopolitical tensions and India’s decision to relocate its matches to the UAE from Pakistan, the tournament captivated cricket fans worldwide, amassing a monumental 368 billion global viewing minutes. That marks a staggering 19% surge in audience engagement compared to the last edition, held in England and Wales in 2017.
The ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025 also drew 308 million global viewing minutes per over, the highest ever for any ICC event—the tournament proved cricket’s unmatched global magnetism.
The grand finale in Dubai, where India triumphed over New Zealand to lift the coveted white jackets, became the most-watched Champions Trophy match in history. The epic clash, played on March 9, garnered a phenomenal 65.3 billion live viewing minutes worldwide, eclipsing the 2017 final’s record by an astonishing 52.1%.
This thrilling showdown now ranks as the third most-watched ICC match globally in terms of live watch time. In India, it holds a similar rank, trailing only behind the India–New Zealand semi-final and the India–Australia final of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023.
Viewers in India were treated to unprecedented coverage via the JioStar network, with matches broadcast across 29 channels in nine languages. Accessibility took centre stage with the return of Indian Sign Language commentary and audio descriptive feeds, ensuring the drama of the Champions Trophy reached every corner of the fanbase. Unsurprisingly, this innovative approach made it the most-watched Champions Trophy in Indian television history.
The tournament also set a new standard for digital engagement. India witnessed the highest-ever share of digital viewing time for any ICC event, thanks in part to the MaxView vertical feed—an ICC-JioStar collaboration optimised for immersive mobile viewing.
Australia joined the record-breaking party, reporting a 65% surge in overall watch hours compared to 2017. Amazon Prime Video, which held exclusive broadcasting rights there, saw its highest-ever ICC event viewership. Meanwhile, in the United States, where matches aired at less viewer-friendly times, fan dedication still drove a 38% increase in watch time over the previous edition.
Even in Pakistan—co-host of the tournament and 2017’s champion—viewership rose by 24%, despite the national team not reclaiming the title.
Reflecting on these achievements, ICC Chairman Jay Shah said, “The 2025 Champions Trophy has broken every viewership record in the book. These numbers highlight not just cricket’s global resonance but the power of innovation, accessibility, and a passionate fanbase that continues to grow across borders.”
