The T20 World Cup has shattered viewership records, exceeding 500 million viewers and becoming the most-watched edition in history, according to ICC Chairman Jay Shah.
Key Points
- The T20 World Cup 2026 aims to be the most global and accessible cricket event.
- Viewership in India has surpassed 500 million, setting a new record for T20 World Cups.
- Concurrent viewers on JioHotstar peaked at 60.5 million during the tournament.
- The 2025 Champions Trophy previously broke records with 250 billion minutes of watch-time.
- The T20 World Cup is jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka.
ICC chairman Jay Shah on Wednesday said that the ongoing T20 World Cup has broken all broadcasting records as the viewership surpassed 500 million, the highest ever in the history of the tournament.
The tournament was deemed the most global and accessible, with significant viewership growth driven by high-stakes matches and digital consumption, goals the ICC set out to achieve before the start of the tournament.
An elated Shah posted on his 'X' handle, "The journey of the @ICC #T20WorldCup 2026 began with the ambition to make it the most #global & #accessible Cricket event ever. I am humbled that viewership for the event in India has crossed 500 million, the highest ever for any T20 World Cup in history.
"It was also heartening to see concurrent viewers @JioHotstar hit a peak of 60.5 million. With Knock-out matches for the tournament starting tonight, we hope that the immeasurable love our events receive from Indian fans helps break more records."
The two semifinals and the final of the tournament are yet to played, but it has already crossed the figures recorded in the last edition of the event in the Americas in 2024.
These figures follow the massive success of the 2025 Champions Trophy, which had previously broken records with 250 billion minutes of watch-time and a 122 million peak on TV.
Jointly hosted by India and Sri Lanka, the T20 World Cup began on February 7 and will conclude on March 8.
© 2026