The biggest sports events of 2024: What everyone streamed this year
In 2024, the sports world saw some of its biggest streaming milestones yet, with viewers tuning in from all corners of the globe. From football showdowns to tennis triumphs, sports fans had an almost unlimited array of thrilling moments to watch in real-time, pushing streaming viewership to record levels. As streaming becomes an increasingly dominant way to experience sports, let’s take a closer look at which events commanded the most screens and captivated audiences everywhere this year according to the research.
January: AFC Asian Cup and AFCON Make Waves
Kicking off 2024, the AFC Asian Cup hosted in Qatar saw record-breaking engagement. With over 707 million cumulative viewers, the event made headlines globally, and the final between Jordan and Qatar alone pulled in an astounding 69 million viewers, establishing the AFC Asian Cup as one of the most significant streamed sporting events early in the year.
Similarly, the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), held in Côte d’Ivoire, captivated a staggering 1.4 billion viewers across all matches, making it one of the most-watched tournaments of the year. The semi-final between Nigeria and South Africa drew over 10.3 million viewers, and digital platforms buzzed with billions of engagements.
February: Super Bowl LVIII Sets Records
The Super Bowl LVIII in February was another standout, setting an all-time U.S. television record with an average of 123.7 million viewers, including the largest ever Spanish-language audience for the event. CBS and its streaming platform, Paramount+, broke streaming records, making this the most-streamed Super Bowl in history. The Super Bowl’s appeal reached well beyond U.S. borders, with Canada and Latin America also showing record-high engagement. As one of the most anticipated sports events of the year, it remains a benchmark for streaming popularity.
March: Women’s Basketball Triumphs in NCAA
NCAA March Madness in March delivered a watershed moment for women’s basketball, as South Carolina faced Iowa in the final and attracted nearly 19 million viewers—surpassing the men’s championship game for the first time in history. Digital platforms, including CBS All Access and ESPN, saw record engagement, with millions of fans streaming every game moment through apps and online services. This signals a growing trend of interest in women’s sports, with the women’s tournament becoming the highlight of this year’s March Madness.
Summer Highlights: Paris Olympics and Euro 2024
The Paris 2024 Summer Olympics dominated the summer, pulling in a cumulative global audience of over 3 billion viewers. Streaming also played a huge part in reshaping the Olympic experience, with NBCUniversal’s Peacock delivering 17 billion minutes of content—breaking all past records. In Europe, platforms like Discovery+ attracted millions of viewers, further reinforcing how digital options are transforming the way fans experience major sporting events. Social engagement exploded, with Olympic-related posts generating 8.5 billion interactions during just the first week.
Euro 2024, hosted in Germany, also drew an incredible global viewership, with 5 billion cumulative viewers tuning in across the tournament. The final between England and Spain captivated audiences, pulling in 24.2 million peak viewers in the UK alone. Stadiums were filled to record-breaking capacities, showcasing Europe’s love for live football and underscoring why Euro 2024 was among the most streamed events of the year.
Fall and Winter: Women’s Cricket, US Open, and EPL
The ICC Women’s T20 World Cup held in the UAE in October brought a new level of interest to women’s cricket, with over 700 million digital video views—a significant growth from previous tournaments. Social media engagements skyrocketed, reflecting how women’s cricket has captured a new wave of fans. Similarly, the US Open tennis tournament saw over 1 million spectators for the first time in its history, with record streaming across ESPN and other platforms.
Meanwhile, the English Premier League (EPL), starting in August, continues to reign supreme as the gold standard for football viewership. Sky Sports recorded a 40% surge in viewership on opening weekend compared to last year, while NBC Sports saw unprecedented numbers in the U.S., indicating the EPL’s continued influence. The opening clash between Chelsea and Liverpool on Peacock was the most streamed EPL match in U.S. history.
Streaming, a Revolution for Sports Viewership
The biggest sports events of 2024 clearly highlighted how sports streaming has revolutionised the way we engage with our favourite teams and athletes. From the breathtaking moments at the AFC Asian Cup to the drama at Wimbledon and the Euro 2024 finals, streaming allowed fans to follow the action from anywhere in the world. As the year closes, it’s evident that digital platforms and live streams are not only the future of sports viewership but are already the present, giving fans more control and accessibility than ever before.
