Skip to content
Friday 28 August 2026London --:--Frankfurt --:--Zurich --:--
NewslettersSearchEN · DE · FR
MorningWire

European business, markets and politics

FTSE 100
10,792.54
-0.79%
DAX
26,367.24
+0.31%
CAC 40
8,319.87
-1.68%
STOXX 50
6,424.73
-0.71%
  • Europe
  • Markets
  • Business
  • Economy
  • Regulation
  • Politics
  • Opinion
More
GermanyFranceEU InstitutionsCompetitionPublic AffairsBankingTechnologyEnergy
  • Germany
  • France
  • Europe
  • Markets
  • Business
  • Economy
  • Regulation
  • Politics
  • Opinion
  • DE
Sunday 12 June 2016 11:54 am

Here’s how many people tuned in to the first England game

By: Lynsey Barber

Add as a preferred source on Google

Roy Hodgson's team may have ended up with a draw on Saturday evening, but broadcaster ITV is certainly celebrating a win.

England's opening game against Russia has netted ITV its biggest audience of the year so far.

The broadcaster's audience during the first England game of the tournament peaked at 14.1m, becoming the biggest show of the year so far, not just for ITV but of any British broadcaster.  

Read more: Le Saux: Be patient with team regardless of Russia result

The match was watched by 12.9m, on average, while its pre-game and post-game included put that average at 9.2m, a 43 per cent audience share at the time of broadcast. 

It overtook an episode of Britain's Got Talent, also an ITV show, aired in April which gained a peak of 11.6m viewers.

ITV said in March that it experienced a flat quarter at the start of the year as advertisers held off spending for the football tournament, which kicked off on Friday.

Read more: Who has the most valuable squad at Euro 2016?

Big advertising spenders during the tournament are expected to be betting firms, alcohol companies, car makers and sports goods, according to analysis by media agency Carat.

The match was marred by violence between rival fans and French police, with 35 people injured and 15 people arrested.

Share this article

  • Facebook
  • X
  • LinkedIn
  • WhatsApp
  • Email

Similarly tagged content:

Sections

  • Life&Style
  • News

Categories

  • Business
  • Media
  • Sport

Trending Articles

  • Pensioners to hand over bank statements in government benefits crackdown

  • Andy Burnham hints at tax rises in Autumn Budget

  • Brewdog founder James Watt hits out at ‘total silence’ over new venture

  • Lloyds Bank and Halifax users unable to use app in latest outage

  • Economists urge Bank of England to halt bond sales as borrowing costs climb

More from Morning Wire

  • ‘Vibrant colours and sexy scents’: Steph McGovern-owned Gootopia back in profit

    Business
    Blonde woman smiling with green slime background, children playing with goo, Gootopia online experience
  • KSI to stream Dagenham and Redbridge games to his 19m YouTube followers

    Sport Business
    KSI with dreadlocks and a white bandana, smiling with an open mouth, red stadium seats blurred in background.
  • In defence of The Hundred, by co-chair of Welsh Fire

    Sport Business
    Chris Woakes, cricketer in a red uniform, raising his arms in celebration on the field.
  • Why Manchester City’s £86m Bouaddi signing should ring alarm bells in French football

    Sport Business
    A male soccer player with long dark curly hair in a white LOSC Lille jersey adjusts his hair on the field.
  • Tony worth Ten Bob in the City of York

    Sport
    Two racehorses and jockeys in colorful silks galloping on a green turf track during a horse race
  • On This Day : Reagan declares: “We begin bombing in five minutes”

    Opinion
    Ronald Reagan speaking at a podium with microphones, holding a paper, family photos visible in the background
  • What I’ve learned about English cricket finances in seven weeks chairing Sussex

    Sport Business
    Four young men in white collared shirts with logos, smiling and looking down, outdoors.
  • On this day: ‘We begin bombing in five minutes’ – Reagan’s accidental broadcast

    Opinion
    Ronald Reagan at a podium in Washington in 1982, pointing to his right while speaking.
MorningWire

Independent European business, markets and political news for decision-makers.

Morning Briefing

Europe

  • Germany
  • France
  • EU Institutions
  • Europe

Business

  • Markets
  • Business
  • Economy
  • Regulation
  • Competition
  • Public Affairs

Editorial

  • Opinion
  • Editorial Policy
  • Corrections
  • Contact

Company

  • About Morning Wire
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Cookie Policy
© 2026 Morning Wire Ltd · Published by Morning Wire Media, Bahnhofstrasse 65, 8001 Zürich, Switzerland
Privacy · Terms · Cookies · Facebook