England's comeback win over DR Congo draws 16.3m viewers, BBC's biggest audience of 2025

England’s comeback win over DR Congo at the FIFA World Cup 2026 drew a peak of 16.3 million viewers on the BBC, making it the broadcaster’s most-watched programme of the year.

Thomas Tuchel’s side fell behind early in Atlanta before captain Harry Kane struck twice to seal a 2-1 victory and send England into a round of 16 clash with Mexico. The tea-time kick-off produced an average audience of 14 million across the match, alongside 10.4 million streams.

The figures surpassed the 15.4 million peak ITV recorded for England’s opening group-stage game against Croatia, itself a strong benchmark for the tournament’s early stages.

“These are extraordinary audience figures that show the BBC is the place the nation comes together for the biggest sporting moments,” said Alex Kay-Jelski, the BBC’s director of sport. “England’s dramatic victory captured millions across TV, iPlayer, BBC Sport digital platforms and social media, with audiences consuming the tournament in record numbers.”

The numbers draw a direct comparison to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, when England’s quarter-final against France became the biggest television event of that year.

England’s next fixture against Mexico is scheduled for the early hours of Monday morning, a slot that is expected to weigh on viewing figures despite the high stakes of a quarter-final place. The BBC also holds first pick of the two semi-finals, with both broadcasters set to share coverage of the final on Sunday 19 July.