Record over 1.7 bn people watched FIFA WC related videos on YouTube: Sundar Pichai

Google CEO Sundar Pichai said YouTube recorded over 1.7 billion unique viewers for World Cup-related videos, making it the platform’s most-watched tournament. Related content crossed 200 billion lifetime views, while creators and fans drove record digital engagement during the event

New Delhi: Google CEO Sundar Pichai said on Wednesday that YouTube drew over 1.7 billion unique global viewers to watch World Cup‑related videos and lifted lifetime views of related content to over 200 billion.

“It was our most viewed World Cup ever on YouTube, bringing lifetime views of related content to over 200 billion!,” Google CEO said on X. CEO, YouTube Neal Mohan’s post was shared by Pichai to mention additional audience figures.

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Mohan said that the platform’s first Creator Cup drew over 10 million live views. He also mentioned over 2.5 million views “from our creator cohort who brought iconic commentary and perspectives throughout the tournament,” in his X post.

“Congrats on an incredible championship, Spain! And a huge thanks to our partners, creators and teams at YouTube who made the fan experience unlike any other,” the post said.

US President Donald Trump said that over 6.5 million spectators had attended the tournament, exceeding the combined attendance of the previous two World Cups. Trump called the tournament “the most successful sporting event, maybe in the history of the world”, adding that fans from 200 countries attended 104 matches across 16 cities in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

The FIFA World Cup disrupted US workplaces and may have shaved as much as $11.7 billion off the country’s productivity as millions of workers adjusted their schedules to watch matches, according to a report.

The tournament’s global impact was nearly $17 billion, due to higher absenteeism, late arrivals and early departures during the competition, the data from UKG showed. In addition, the data from workplace platform Envoy showed highest work disruption coming the day after the United States men’s team was eliminated from the tournament.

Office attendance dropped 26 per cent on July 7, while employee entries dropped 11.5 per cent.