BBC confirms England v Argentina semi-final was most-watched UK broadcast of 2026

Jump to contentThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged inAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleEngland fans watching England’s World Cup semi-final match against Argentina (Cody Froggatt/PA) (PA Wire)England suffered a 2-1 defeat against Argentina in a World Cup semi-final match on Wednesday night, with Argentina securing victory through late goals from Enzo Fernandez and Lautaro Martinez. Anthony Gordon initially put England ahead, but Lionel Messi provided assists for both of Argentina's goals, including the 92nd-minute winner from Martinez. The match became the most-watched UK broadcast of the year, attracting over 24 million viewers across BBC One and iPlayer, with an average of 15 million on BBC One and a peak of 21.5 million. This viewership made it the biggest live TV event in the UK since the Euro 2020 final, highlighting the significant public interest in England's World Cup campaign. Following their semi-final exit, England are scheduled to play France in the third-place play-off on Saturday, while Argentina will face Spain in the final on Sunday. In fullEngland’s World Cup semi-final against Argentina delivers record viewing figures for BBCMore bulletinsThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in

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