The Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) made history by clinching their second consecutive UEFA Champions League title, yet the viewership figures failed to match the excitement of their dominant 5-0 victory over Inter Milan last season. While the 2024 final drew an average of 11.5 million viewers, last Saturday’s clash against Arsenal saw a notable decline, with just 6.2 million tuning in on free-to-air channel M6. The peak audience reached 13.5 million during the final moments, while Canal+ attracted 2.9 million viewers. This represents a deficit of over 2 million compared to the previous year’s broadcast.

The decline in television ratings can be attributed to a scheduling conflict with the third-round match of rising French tennis talent Moïse Kouamé at Roland Garros. The young player’s match began at 4:15 PM, coinciding with the 6:00 PM kickoff of the Champions League final. Despite the overlap, Kouamé still managed to captivate 3 million viewers with his performance against Chilean Alejandro Tabilo, though his audience naturally dwindled as the football final got underway.

In a lighthearted moment post-match, Kouamé joked about watching the penalty shootout, admitting, “I saw the penalties, I think I experienced the worst moment!” Donning a PSG jersey, he reflected on his four-set loss (6-4, 3-6, 4-6, 6-7[9-11]) but maintained his composure. “It’s a small consolation for my loss,” he remarked with a smile.

What the numbers reveal

• 6.2 million viewers on free-to-air channel M6 (peak: 13.5 million)
• 2.9 million on Canal+
• 3 million viewers for Kouamé’s match at Roland Garros
• Over 2 million fewer viewers compared to the 2024 final