An audience of over five million watched the final of the 2024 men’s EHF European Handball Championship national teams tournament on TF1, the French public-service broadcaster, as the country claimed its first title in a decade.
France’s 33-31 extra-time victory over Denmark in the final drew 5.27 million viewers, achieving an audience share of 30%. The audience in the country peaked at eight million.
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BeIN Sports, the Qatar-based broadcaster that held pay-TV rights, attracted an average of 476,000 viewers, with a peak of 623,000. In total, an average of 5.7 million people watched the final in France.
In Denmark, the tournament's finale was watched by almost 1.7 million on commercial broadcaster TV2 and claimed an audience share of 80%.
Overall, the biennial tournament in Germany secured strong viewership numbers across several key European markets.
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In its role as the European Handball Federation’s exclusive media and marketing partner, international sports marketing agency Infront secured deals with over 30 broadcasters across more than 100 territories.
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By GlobalDataThe German national team consistently drew a huge audience, with almost 9.7 million tuning in for its semi-final loss to Denmark on Friday (January 26). All the host's matches were broadcast on ZDF or ARD with the main round match against Hungary also boasting a live audience of 8.4 million.
Over seven million fans watched the host’s preliminary round matches, while an average audience of 7.6 million tuned in for the whole tournament in Germany, which peaked during the main round at 7.9 million. The final round delivered a market share of 32%.
Elsewhere, Denmark’s clash with Norway reached 1.47 million on TV2, almost 75% of available market share.
Over a million fans also attended EHF Euro matches in person.
Julien Ternisien, Infront's senior vice president of summer sports, said: “The television ratings reflect an unprecedented viewership, driven by the performance in Germany. It underscores the universal appeal and growing stature of handball, marking a historic moment for the sport and setting the stage for its future trajectory.
“The men’s EHF Euro 2024 represents a stride forward in our continuous effort to innovate and enhance the fan experience. The integration of traditional handball values with modern, digital strategies is redefining the benchmarks for future sporting events, proving the immense potential of strategic partnerships and innovative marketing in shaping the future of sports.”
Meanwhile, the combined digital reach across all monitored channels associated with the EHF Euro 2024, including teams, players, sponsors, and broadcast partners, increased to 400 million.
In addition, the combined number of interactions reached 18 million and EHF channels saw a growth of 115,000 followers.
Michael Wiederer, EHF president, commented: "The Men’s EHF Euro 2024 in Germany is the best in the championship’s history. The powerful combination of vibrant arena atmospheres with record-breaking spectator figures and millions at home following the matches, groundbreaking digital engagement, and strong sponsorships has lifted the product to the next level.
“The EHF, in collaboration with Infront, has set a new benchmark in how handball can captivate and engage on a global scale.”
