Reports from USA Network via Deadline Day Live indicate that the Liverpool v Manchester City match drew around 700 million to 750 million viewers globally. This significantly surpasses the estimated 220 million viewers for Super Bowl 60.
This highlights football’s vast audience. While the Super Bowl is a key event in the U.S., the Premier League attracts millions of viewers worldwide every week, allowing even regular matches to capture huge audiences.
The match in question wasn’t a final or a championship game, but a midseason match between two well-known clubs, demonstrating how even routine games can create major interest given their global fan bases.
The extensive broadcast deals and football’s strong presence in regions like Europe, Africa, Asia, and South America help explain why the viewership numbers are so impressive.
Ordinary football games can surpass NFL viewership worldwide
The global fan base of football outnumbers that of most other sports, including American football. While the Super Bowl consistently attracts over 100 million viewers mainly in the U.S., its global audience is often smaller.
Despite international streaming, estimates for the NFL’s biggest game rarely match the viewership of top football matches.
In contrast, football games, be they league or tournament matches, frequently pull in hundreds of millions of viewers worldwide without needing elaborate halftime shows or extensive promotional efforts.
This is why discussions about the two sports often center on overall reach and not just individual events.
The regular schedule of football, combined with extensive broadcasting rights and a massive global fan base, means its total viewership surpasses that of the NFL and other major sports leagues throughout a season.