With under three months to the World Cup, Les Bleus still struggle for viewers on TF1 | OneFootball

With under three months until the 2026 World Cup, France’s men are no longer drawing mass audiences on TF1, often failing to top five million viewers, L'Équipe notes.

On Thursday, Brazil 1-2 France drew 5.05 million viewers, a 31.4% share, and Sunday’s Colombia 1-3 France had 4.7 million, 25.6%.

By contrast, March 2023 Euro 2024 qualifiers against the Netherlands, 4-0, and Ireland, 1-0, drew 7.65 million and 8.06 million, averaging a 35% share. Les Bleus have not matched those figures in two years.

World Cup 2026 qualifiers averaged 4.95 million, a 26.8% share, excluding Azerbaijan v France on a Sunday afternoon. The last audience above six million was the Nations League semi-final loss to Spain, 4-5, on 5 June 2025.

TF1 argues 20:45 kick-offs for Nations League and qualifiers depress averages, with more viewers after 21:00, yet 21:00 friendlies such as Brazil and Colombia were not significantly boosted.

The broadcaster’s December 2023 deal values 40 matches from 2024 to 2028 at €140 million, €3.5 million per game.

A busier TV calendar, from the Champions League’s new format since autumn 2024 to last summer’s Club World Cup, is often cited, while rugby’s France team may be pulling some of the wider audience.

Football magazines are also suffering, with Téléfoot ending on 14 June after 49 years. This summer’s World Cup in North America, 11 June to 19 July, will be free-to-air on M6 for 54 matches and in full on beIN Sports.

Source: L'Équipe