M6 draws record 12.2 million viewers for France‑Paraguay World Cup match

Around 12.2 million people tuned in to M6 for the France‑Paraguay World Cup 2026 match, a late‑night broadcast that delivered a historic audience share of about 76 % and helped the French side advance to the quarter‑finals. The figure, reported by Médiamétrie, reflects 75.6 % of viewers aged four and over and a strong turnout among women under 50 and younger audiences.

M6, the only free‑to‑air channel with rights to the tournament after acquiring them from TF1 in March 2024 for an estimated €120 million, has used the event as a flagship showcase. The network’s president David Larramendy noted that while the rights may be costly, the exposure is “absolutely exceptional.” Earlier World Cup matches on M6 attracted 14 million viewers for the France‑Senegal game and 13.7 million for the France‑Norway match, underscoring the channel’s strong ratings performance.

In contrast, a previous match aired at the same hour, France versus Iraq, gathered just under 5 million viewers, highlighting the significant spike for the Paraguay encounter.