The FIFA World Cup in Qatar has finally reached its end, as Argentina won its third championship on December 18 after defeating France 4-2 in penalties following a 3-3 draw on Sunday.

Digital viewers overtake TV for the first time ever

Intriguingly, the FIFA World Cup 2022 has been the most watched and actively watched FIFA World Cup in India ever thanks to JioCinema, a Viacom 18 app, which was live streaming the tournament for free.

Also read: Lionel Messi lifted and paraded at Lusail by Argentine players after FIFA World Cup 2022 win: Watch

Importantly, the FIFA World Cup is the most watched sporting event in the world, and JioCinema’s viewership for the Qatar 2022 edition of the competition is predicted to surpass 100 million. According to BARC data, 42.2 million Indians watched the first 48 matches of the tournament collectively.

Additionally, digital viewers surpassed TV for the first time ever thanks to JioCinema’s plain sailing service, which has been the most popular free app downloaded for three weeks on both iOS and Android since November 20.

Also read: FIFA World Cup 2022: What was Lionel Messi wearing while lifting the WC trophy

FIFA World Cup final vs NFL Superbowl

The Super Bowl is perhaps the peak of American sports competition. Despite the fact that many other sports use series as opposed to the NFL’s single-game structure, no sport’s championship game receives as much attention.

Football or soccer nonetheless continues to rule the global stage while the NFL expands internationally with games in Mexico City, Germany, and London. More countries are represented at the FIFA World Cup than at the NFL championship game.

Also read: Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after Argentina beat France to win 2022 final: Watch

But which one attracts more viewers? On the one hand, football is the most popular sport in one of the nations with the highest sports viewing rates worldwide. The FIFA World Cup Final has the advantage of being a multi-nation competition.

According to FIFA, 3.57 billion people watched the 2018 FIFA World Cup Final, which featured youthful sensation Kylian Mbappe and France’s thrilling 4-2 victory against Croatia.

Also read: Lionel Messi’s 5 FIFA World Cups: Looking back at the GOAT’s WC career

In contrast, the Super Bowl of 2022 attracted close to 100 million viewers. 99.18 million people watched the Los Angeles Rams beat the Cincinnati Bengals, according to Statista.

A larger audience will become interested in the NFL as it continues to grow and expand internationally. To surpass the viewership of the FIFA World Cup Final, they still have a ways to go.