Record-breaking audience despite scheduling clash with Roland-Garros final
French football fans tuned in by the millions as Paris Saint-Germain secured their second consecutive UEFA Champions League title, drawing an average of 9.1 million viewers on M6 and Canal+ on Saturday, May 30. While the win marked another historic achievement for the club, the broadcast faced an unusual challenge: a scheduling overlap with the Roland-Garros final featuring French player Moïse Kouamé.
Traffic split between broadcast giants
The Champions League final’s television audience was distributed across two major French networks, with M6 and Canal+ jointly carrying the broadcast. Despite the competitive programming clash, the combined viewership remained substantial, though slightly lower than last year’s figures.
Experts attribute the dip primarily to reduced tuning on M6, where the final aired earlier than in previous seasons—a strategic shift that may have impacted peak viewership numbers.
Viewer engagement and broadcast strategy
While the Champions League final traditionally draws massive audiences in France, the simultaneous airing of the Roland-Garros final presented a rare scheduling hurdle. Football and tennis fans alike were presented with compelling live events, forcing viewers to choose between two high-profile sporting spectacles. The overlap likely contributed to a redistribution of the audience, with some football enthusiasts opting for the tennis final instead.