ET Graphics | India’s sports interest breaks new ground
Wimbledon's India livestream drew 2.7 million viewers, showing tennis's growing appeal. Football's FIFA World Cup interest doubled that of the T20 World Cup. Wimbledon viewership is strongest in Karnataka and Goa regions. Football's popularity is ...
By ET Bureau |
Reuters
The new adidas Trionda Final ball, the official match ball for the semi-finals, the third-place play-off and final of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, on the pitch at Dallas Stadium, Arlington, Texas, U.S., July 12, 2026.
The men’s singles final of Wimbledon drew a peak audience of 2.7 million past midnight on its India OTT livestream on Sunday—a marker of how fast tennis is gaining a following in India.
That’s part of a bigger shift in India’s sporting appetite beyond cricket: Google interest in the ongoing FIFA World Cup ran nearly double that for this year’s T20 World Cup.
The two tournaments are also winning fans in very different pockets—Wimbledon’s craze runs strongest in Karnataka and Goa; football’s biggest gains are in the north-east.
However, tennis’s rise is much slower, and is led by Wimbledon, even as the sport as a whole still trails cricket (especially the IPL) and football by miles.
FIFA WC Got More Google Searches Than This Year’s T20 Tournament
Karnataka, Goa Lead Wimbledon Craze; N-E States High On Football
