Argentinian Matches Lead Israeli World Cup Viewership, Messi Outpaces Ronaldo

Israeli viewership data from yes and Kan 11 reveal that 71% of Israelis watched at least part of one World Cup group stage match, a slight decline from 80% in 2022. The timing of matches significantly affected viewership, with games broadcast at 8:00 PM drawing higher ratings than those aired late at night. The most-watched group stage match was Argentina versus Austria, which aired during prime time. Other top-viewed matches included the opening game between Mexico and South Africa, Portugal versus Uzbekistan, France against Senegal, and the Netherlands facing Sweden. Among late-night games, Brazil versus Morocco attracted the highest viewership.

Regarding player popularity, Lionel Messi and Argentina led in Israeli viewership numbers, surpassing Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal, who ranked fourth behind France and Spain. Despite ongoing tensions between Israel and Iran, viewership for Iran’s matches remained consistent with figures from the 2022 World Cup, indicating no significant impact on Israeli audience interest.

Overall, the data highlights Israeli fans’ strong preference for watching Argentina and Messi, as well as the influence of broadcast timing on audience size during the tournament’s group stage.