2018 World Cup: nearly 3.6 billion people watched the World Cup in Russia (FIFA)

"A record 3.572 billion people - more than half of the global population aged four and over - watched the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia which was broadcast live in every territory around the world from 14/06 to 15/07/2018 this year (figure includes those who watched TV at home, out of home or on digital platforms)," said FIFA on 21/12/2018.

"The final between France and Croatia (4-2) on 15/07/2018 attracted a combined global audience of 1.12 billion, comprising 884.37 million viewers tuning in to linear TV coverage and a further 231.82 million out-of-home and digital-only viewers. Over the 64 matches, the average live audience was 191 million: each game was a global televisual event in its own right," added FIFA.

"These figures really do support the claim that Russia 2018 was the best World Cup ever. We're particularly pleased to see an increase in the average time viewers are engaging with matches, which shows that we are giving the fans what they want. The fact that half the world's population watched the FIFA World Cup reflects not just the high quality of our award-winning live…