Millions tune in on working day to watch England advance to first World Cup final

The Lionesses beat host nation Australia 3-1 in the semi-final in Sydney on Wednesday.

An average of 4.6 million tuned in to watch England beat Australia on Wednesday (Victoria Jones/PA) (PA Wire)

An average of 4.6 million people tuned in on a working day to watch the Lionesses progress to their first ever World Cup final.

Despite the time zone difference between the UK and Australia forcing an 11am BST kick-off time, the BBC said a peak audience of 7.3 million tuned in to watch England beat the host nation 3-1 on Wednesday.

The Lionesses’ victory became the most-watched game of the tournament and many more are expected to cheer on the team against Spain on Sunday.

Goals from Ella Toone, Lauren Hemp and Alessia Russo gave England the win over the Matildas in Sydney – with thousands of fans taking time off work to watch the match.

Royals, celebrities and former players all sent congratulatory messages to the Lionesses after the game.

Kensington Palace confirmed the Prince of Wales will not be flying out to Australia for the final, but the Royal Spanish Football Federation confirmed Queen Letizia would be making the trip to affirm the country’s “commitment” to national football.

The average audience of 4.6 million was for BBC One’s entire coverage of the semi-final, which ran for 3.5 hours during the morning and afternoon.

The broadcaster said the game was streamed over 3.8 million times on BBC iPlayer and BBC Sport Online, as well as 2.7 million further streams of highlights and clips from the game being viewed on its digital platforms.

A peak audience of 11.7 million watched the Lionesses’ previous World Cup semi-final in 2019 – a game which ended in a 2-1 defeat to the USA.

England Women’s Euros success in 2022 attracted an average of 11 million people, with a peak TV audience of 17.4 million, which remains the record for a women’s football match in the UK.

Ahead of Sunday, pub bosses have called on the Government to loosen licensing rules for opening hours and alcohol sales for the final.

“Most” pubs are likely to be unable to serve alcohol until 11am, with some being restricted until midday, according to the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA).

Despite the pleas from industry bosses, the game is expected to give a £185 million boost to the UK economy as supporters are expected to flock to pubs and bars.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan announced a free “super screening” of the final would be displayed in Victoria Park, Tower Hamlets – a move he said would enable “thousands of fans together to roar on the team”.

The area is expected to accommodate around 12,500 supporters for the game.

Public screenings of big England games have previously been set up in Trafalgar Square, but the site was deemed not feasible due to long-standing maintenance.

Analysis by savings site VoucherCodes.co.uk found that 13.7 million viewers around the UK are set to tune into the match, with around a fifth heading to their local pub, bar or restaurant to soak up the atmosphere.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer called for a celebratory bank holiday should England win Sunday’s final.

The Government said an extra bank holiday is not currently in its plans, adding it will find the “right way to celebrate” if the Lionesses emerge victorious.

Ahead of Sunday’s final, the three Boxpark fan zones in London – Croydon, Wembley and Shoreditch, sold all their 2,500 tickets in just eight minutes following the semi-final.

Analysis by the PA news agency showed fans would have to pay almost £2,500 on return flights to Sydney if they want to attend the final.

The final kicks off at 8pm local time (11am BST).