Brazil vs. Croatia on target to be most watched match of World Cup 2006 so far

Initiative’s most recent ViewerTrack shows that Brazil’s first match, against Croatia, is on target to draw the largest audience of the first fourteen games, surpassing even the opening game between Germany and Costa Rica.  In more than 50 per cent of surveyed markets, it was the most watched match of the tournament so far.  The average live match audience is on target to be well in excess of 150 million once all countries’ data is released.

The match was the most popular to date in a number of countries, including Spain (3.4 million individuals) and Croatia (1.9 million).  It also drew particularly large audiences in a number of countries which have not qualified for the World Cup, including Belgium, Denmark, Greece and Slovakia.  Without their own national team to cheer, it is likely that interest in these countries is transferred in many cases to Brazil, who are often people’s ‘second team’ to support.

Brazil’s matches at the World Cup traditionally draw the largest TV audiences.  Viewers enjoy watching the five-time World Champions because of the attractive brand of soccer which they play.  At both World Cup 1998 and World Cup 2002, audiences for Brazil’s games were larger than for any other team.