The Women’s Champions League sets a new viewership standard as Barcelona beats Lyon in the sold-out final in Oslo

Audiences for the UEFA Women’s Champions League increased in the 2025-2026 season, with viewership more than doubling and expected to reach at least 44.5 million, European football’s governing body UEFA said in a report.

More than 39.7 million viewers watched the entire competition before the final, with matches broadcast in 207 areas. With 30 free-to-air partners showing the final, it was the most widely available title match in the competition’s history, the report said.

Social media engagement is also up sharply, with 947 million video views, up 50 percent year-over-year, 1.49 billion impressions, up 44 percent, and 52 million engagements, up 16 percent.

According to UEFA, almost half of all matches, 49 percent, were decided by one goal or ended in a draw, while 33 percent featured comebacks, highlighting the greater competitive balance in the new format.

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“From a sporting perspective the standard is excellent and from a viewer perspective the competition has set a new benchmark for the women’s club game,” said Nadine Kessler, UEFA director of women’s football.

“And of course the final itself, another sold-out edition in a historic women’s football country like Norway, delivered everything we hoped for and more.”

The season ended on May 23, when a sell-out crowd at Oslo’s Ullevaal Stadium watched Barcelona beat Olympique Lyonnais to lift the trophy.

Published on June 10, 2026