ITVX, ITV’s streaming platform, achieved a record 200 million streams during the FIFA World Cup, significantly boosted by Team England's performance.
Why it matters: The FIFA World Cup 2026 has become a major driver for streaming platforms, with ITVX seeing notable growth in viewership and engagement.
ITVX generated a total of 436 million streams in July 2026, marking a 30% increase compared to July 2025.
Team England secured third place in the tournament after defeating France 6-4, contributing to high viewing figures.
75% of World Cup viewers on ITVX were aged 25-54, with 63% identifying as male.
Driving the news: ITVX's streaming success is attributed to its extensive coverage and the popularity of the World Cup.
The platform recorded 102 million streams from viewers tuning in for World Cup matches.
ITVX experienced nearly 5 million peak live streams during the England vs. Norway match, a 38% increase over the peak for Euro 2024.
July 2026 marks the second consecutive month ITVX delivered over 400 million streams.
The big picture: This surge in streams highlights the growing importance of streaming platforms in sports broadcasting.
World Cup coverage on ITV Sport’s YouTube channel amassed 153 million views, more than double the total for the whole of 2025.
ITV's YouTube highlights outperformed BBC's coverage for all 104 matches played.
Viewers who watched a World Cup match generated an additional 102 million onward on-demand streams across other genres on ITVX.
What they're saying: Industry leaders are recognizing the significance of the World Cup as a cultural and marketing opportunity.
Ricardo Marques, SVP marketing for Michelob ULTRA, stated, "The World Cup gave us the opportunity to engage fans over months, building anticipation across a much broader cultural stage."
Michael Aimette, chief creative officer of BBDO New York, remarked, "Having fans vote Michelob ULTRA number one is about as good a review as you can get."
By the numbers: The statistics from the World Cup reveal a strong connection between sports events and viewer engagement.
ITVX saw a viewer retention rate of 44% during the World Cup, up from 36% for Euro 2024 and 25% for World Cup 2022.
The Fan Zone experience on the ITVX mobile app delivered 33.4 million total sessions throughout the tournament.
Reality programming, particularly the dating show "Love Island," drove 42% of the onward streams on ITVX.
What's next: The success of ITVX during the World Cup sets a precedent for future sporting events and marketing strategies.
With the World Cup acting as a growth engine, ITVX is expected to continue leveraging major events to boost its content catalog.
Michelob ULTRA plans to build on its World Cup campaign momentum with new initiatives aimed at engaging fans year-round.
ITVX aims to maintain its streaming growth by enhancing its content offerings and attracting more viewers through strategic partnerships.