The UK-based public broadcaster, the BBC has announced that the FA Cup game between Arsenal and Liverpool broke a viewership record with 7.6 million viewers.
In the past, a game in which Liverpool defeated Everton 1-0 in 2020 set an all-time high for peak viewership in this round of the competition (the third-round match).
Recently, Liverpool defeated Arsenal 2-0 at the Emirates Stadium. The match had an average viewership of nearly six million people (44% of viewers), and it was streamed two million times on BBC iPlayer.
Both Premier League (PL) teams have a lengthy history of competing in the league. Arsenal have won the domestic cup more than any other team, taking home the trophy 14 times overall, while Liverpool have only won the cup seven times.
Barbara Slater, Director of BBC Sport, commented, “It’s fantastic to see record audiences for coverage of the FA Cup, a competition with so much history, drama and magic. We are dedicated to providing audiences with coverage from right across the tournament, from live matches on TV and iPlayer, to TV highlights and digital clips on the BBC Sport website and social media. I can’t wait to see what the rest of the competition has in store.”
In another matchup, Aston Villa FC‘s (AVFC) 1-0 victory against Middlesbrough attracted a peak viewership of 3.3 million, while Manchester City‘s 5-0 thumping of Huddersfield Town was viewed 1.3 million times on BBC iPlayer.
With 1.96 million viewers, the English-speaking audience’s record for the most-viewed match was shattered earlier this month by the Premier League match between Arsenal and Liverpool, according to NBC, NBC Sports, and Peacock.