Glance report shows live women’s competitions are driving sports viewing

The new report shows women’s sport has become a major ratings driver

Glance

Premium live sports remain television’s hottest property, with women’s competitions driving viewer engagement to new heights, according to research firm Glance.

As part of its annual sports report, Yearly Sport Key Facts 2025, Glance has revealed record-breaking audiences and significant shifts in sports viewership patterns across global markets.

The report analyses TV sports consumption from September 2024 to August 2025 in 45 markets globally.

The initial report into 15 markets shows unprecedented viewing, including the highest-ever Super Bowl audience and the emergence of women’s sports as a major ratings driver.

American football reached new levels with Super Bowl LIX achieving an all-time record of 126.7 million viewers and 100% market share on Fox in the US, demonstrating the enduring power of premium live sports content in an increasingly fragmented media landscape.

Women’s sport achieved breakthrough momentum globally, with the UEFA Women’s European Championship securing the number one sporting audience in both Germany and the UK.

The Women’s Tour de France nearly doubled its viewership from 1.4 million in 2024 to 2.7 million average viewers in 2025, peaking at 4.4 million viewers with 41% market share on France 2 for the final stage.

“This sporting season has been defined by two clear trends: the continued dominance of premium sporting events in driving mass audiences and the remarkable growth of women’s sport as a mainstream viewing proposition,” said Yassine Guillaume Berhoun, director of sport at Glance.

“From the Women’s Tour de France nearly doubling its 2024 performance to women’s football topping ratings charts across Europe, we’re witnessing a fundamental shift in sports viewership patterns. Audiences are increasingly embracing diverse sporting content, showing viewers have a strong appetite for a variety of premium live sports content.”

Other sports commanding strong audiences in the report include tennis and rugby, while new competitions such as the inaugural NHL 4 Nations Face-off, a new hockey tournament, dominated Canadian sports.

Despite these emerging trends, football maintains its global dominance as the most consumed sports genre in six of the 15 territories studied, representing 49% of sports viewing in Italy and 71% in Spain.

The Yearly Sport Key Facts 2025 report, available via the OneGlance online platform, offers broadcasters, rights holders and sports organisations insights for strategic planning and investment decisions.

Médiamétrie-owned Glance is planning to share subsequent Yearly Sports Key Facts updates looking at additional markets as well as Formula 1 and MotoGP, which will be released in December and January.