Dubai, May 21, 2025: The ICC Men’s Champions Trophy 2025, co-hosted by Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates, has officially become the most-watched edition of the tournament to date, setting multiple global viewership records, according to a report released by the International Cricket Council (ICC).
The tournament, held earlier this year, amassed a staggering 368 billion global viewing minutes, reflecting a 19 percent increase from the previous edition held in England and Wales in 2017. The event featured eight of the world’s top cricketing nations and was broadcast to record-breaking global audiences.
“The premium event that featured eight international teams drew 308 million global viewing minutes per over, the most ever for an ICC event,” the ICC report stated.
The final match between India and New Zealand, held on March 9, was the tournament’s viewership highlight, generating an unprecedented 65.3 billion live viewing minutes. This figure surpassed the viewership of the 2017 final by 52.1 percent, making it the most-watched match in Champions Trophy history and the third-most watched game in any ICC event globally in terms of live watch time.
The tournament also posted historic viewership figures across major cricketing nations. In Australia, it became the most-watched edition of the Champions Trophy, with a 65 percent rise in viewing hours compared to the 2017 edition. Similar spikes were recorded in India and Pakistan, underlining the region’s strong cricket fanbase and the growing appeal of ICC tournaments.
The success of Champions Trophy 2025 is also credited to the innovative hybrid hosting model. After negotiations between the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), it was agreed that India would play all their matches in the UAE, including the much-anticipated clash against host nation Pakistan. The rest of the tournament, including key fixtures and the final, was held in Pakistan.
India emerged as the tournament champions, defeating New Zealand in a high-stakes final watched by hundreds of millions across the globe.
The overwhelming global response to the tournament is being seen as a major win for Pakistan’s efforts to bring top-tier international cricket back to its grounds and reaffirm its position as a viable host for major cricketing events.
