This article lists the television broadcasts that had the most viewers within individual countries, as measured by ratings and research agencies in those countries. The research methodology and choice of statistics varies between sources, and is explained in individual sections.

Because many events are watched simultaneously around the world and recorded programs are exported to multiple countries, it is difficult to collate reliable figures for global audiences. Those countries where reliable figures are available may use incompatible methodologies, such as the minimum age of counted viewers, and what proportion of the program must be watched when measuring the "reach" of a program, rather than its average or peak audience. Figures published by organisers and journalists are routinely exaggerated or misrepresented, claiming billions of viewers worldwide, where independent analysis suggests few if any broadcasts have reached 1 billion viewers.

Although numbers are unreliable, it is generally accepted that the most widely watched events worldwide are international sporting events such as the Summer Olympic Games, FIFA World Cup, and the Cricket World Cup with annual events such as the CMG New Year's Gala in China, Super Bowl in the U.S., the Indian Premier League in India and the UEFA Champions League finals in Europe picking up large regional audiences. Other broadcasts frequently claimed to have broken records include news events such as the 1969 Apollo 11 Moon landing, funerals of significant figures such as Michael Jackson, Diana, Princess of Wales, or Elizabeth II, and music events such as the 1985 Live Aid benefit concert, 1993 Super Bowl Halftime Show, or the CMG New Year's Gala that is recognized by Guinness World Records as the world's most watched television program.

Australia Most-watched broadcasts of all time (total viewers) The following is David Dale's approximate ranking of the most-watched television shows of all time in Australia using data from Nielsen Corporation and OzTAM.

Rank Show Date Network1 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup semi-final, Australia vs England 2023 Seven Network, Optus Sport2 Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II 2022 ABC, Seven Network, Nine Network, Ten Network3 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup quarter-final, Australia vs France 2023 Seven Network, Optus Sport4 Wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer 1981 ABC, Seven Network, Nine Network, Ten Network5 2000 Summer Olympics closing ceremony 2000 Seven Network6 2000 Summer Olympics opening ceremony 2000 Seven Network7 Wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton 2011 ABC, Seven Network, Nine Network, Ten Network8 1984 Summer Olympics opening ceremony 1984 Ten Network9 The World of The Seekers 1968 Ten Network10 Boxing: Lionel Rose v Alan Rudkin 1964 Seven Network

Note: the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, the Wedding of Prince Charles and the Wedding of Prince William were all carried by all 4 major networks and are counted together.

Most viewed broadcasts from 2001 to 2023 (OzTAM 5 City Metro Average) The following table is a list of the most viewed programs based on the OzTAM 5 City Metro Average rating system. It does not include regional numbers (40% of the population) and uses the average viewership, not the peak viewership. Also note these ratings are not comparable with ratings before 2001 due to different methodologies used after this time. Ratings changed in 2024 and only records national viewership instead of the 5 metros.

Rank Show Number of viewers Ratings Year Network1 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup semi-final, Australia vs England 7.13 million 2023 Seven Network, Optus Sport2 Wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton 6.0 million 2011 ABC, Network 7, Network 9, Network Ten, 7Two3 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup quarter-final, Australia vs France 4.17 million 2023 Seven Network, Optus Sport4 Wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle 4.09 Million 2018 Seven Network, Nine Network, ABC, SBS, BBC UKTV, Sky News Live5 2005 Australian Open – Men's singles final 4.043 Million 29.3 2005 Seven Network6 MasterChef Australia (season 2) – finale challenge 4.029 Million 27.1 2010 Network Ten7 2003 Rugby World Cup final 4.016 Million 29.7 2003 Seven Network8 MasterChef Australia (season 1) – finale challenge 3.726 Million 25.6 2009 Network Ten9 2006 Commonwealth Games opening ceremony 3.561 Million 25.5 2006 Nine Network10 2005 AFL Grand Final (Sydney Swans v West Coast Eagles) 3.386 Million 24.5 2005 Network Ten

Brazil Rank Show Episode Rating Share Date Channel Content Source(s)1Roque Santeiro Episode 209 96 100% TV Globo Telenovela Selva de Pedra Episode 152 — 100% TV Globo Telenovela 2Vale Tudo Episode 192 81 TV Globo Telenovela 3Tieta Episode 196 78 TV Globo Telenovela 4Death of Ayrton Senna 75 100% TV Cultura, SBT, TV Globo, Record, Manchete, TV Gazeta and Rede Bandeirantes Motorsport 51998 FIFA World Cup (semi-final) 73 SBT, TV Globo, Manchete and Rede Bandeirantes O Salvador da Pátria Episode 177 73 TV Globo Telenovela 62002 FIFA World CupBrazil vs. Turkey (semi-final) 71 TV Globo Association football 7AméricaEpisode 203 68 82% TV Globo Telenovela 82002 FIFA World CupGermany vs. Brazil (final) 67 91% TV Globo Association football

Canada

The two most-watched television broadcasts in Canadian history occurred during the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver. For the gold medal game of the men's hockey tournament at the 2010 Winter Olympics, played between the United States and Canada, confirmed 16.6 million Canadians watched the whole game, roughly one-half of the country's entire population. A groundbreaking 26.5 million Canadians watched some part of the game, over 80 percent of the country's 34-million-person population. According to multiple sources, 13.3 million Canadians watched the games' opening ceremony, which was the previous record.

Many believed the final game of the 1972 Summit Series had up to 18 million viewers, but only 4.3 million TVs tuned in. This statistic does not represent the reality that most school children (representing the tail end of the baby-boom i.e. a large population) nationwide watched the game in gymnasiums on only one or two TVs. 10.3 million people watched the ice hockey gold medal final of the 2002 Winter Olympics.

Chile The following are the ten most watched programs from 1992 onwards, when the "people meter" system was created. The list considers the whole program and not segments of it or peaks of ratings, as usually happens with the Festival de Viña del Mar which almost yearly achieved the highest peaks of rating during its most popular nights.

Rank ShowRating Date Channel1 Presidential Debate Ricardo Lagos - Joaquín Lavín71,5 1999 TVN, Canal 13, Chilevision, MEGA and La Red2 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONMEBOL) Chile vs Peru67,1 2003 TVN3 Sebastián Piñera Message to the nation in the context of the Social Outburst66,8 2019 TVN, Canal 13, Chilevision, MEGA and La Red4 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONMEBOL) Chile vs Argentina63,7 2004 TVN5 FIFA World Cup 2010: Chile vs Honduras57,1 2010 TVN6 Amores de Mercado final episode56,9 2001 TVN7 Grand Slam Cup: Marcelo Rios vs Andre Agassi56,1 1998 Canal 138 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONMEBOL) Chile vs Ecuador55,6 2005 TVN9 1999 Copa América: Chile vs Brazil55,1 1999 Canal 1310 Sucupira last episode54 1996 TVN

China China Central Television claims the Spring Festival Gala has attracted more than 1 billion viewers annually, and it has been recognised by Guinness World Records as the world's most watched television program.

The CCTV's main evening news broadcast Xinwen Lianbo has an estimated daily audience of around 135 million people, and it is also one of the most expensive shows in the world per advertising spots, with its 2013 advertising slots selling for a record of 5.4 billion yuan.

The Legend of Bruce Lee (2008), based on the life of Bruce Lee, has been watched by over viewers in China, making it the most-watched Chinese television drama series of all time, as of 2017.

A Chinese boxer Zou Shiming's professional boxing debut on 6 April 2013 reportedly around 300 million viewers. Another professional boxer Qiu Xiaojun attracted around 200 million people for his fight against Ghanaian fighter Raymond Commey on 12 February 2016. An IBF world flyweight boxing title bout between John Riel Casimero and Amnat Ruenroeng, which took place in Beijing on 25 May 2016, drew over 200 million viewers and a 4.7 rating according to the official press-release (Sina Sports reported 160 million viewers and a 0.87 rating).

Denmark The following are the ten most watched programs from 1992 onwards.

Rank ShowViewers Date Channel1 Krøniken - Episode 102,714,000 2004 DR12 Eurovision Song Contest 20012,667,000 2001 DR13 The Last Exploits of the Olsen Gang2,658,000 1995 TV24 UEFA Euro 1992 semi-final: Denmark vs Netherlands2,657,000 1992 TV25 UEFA Euro 1992 final: Denmark vs Germany2,632,000 1992 TV26 1994 FIFA World Cup qualification: Denmark vs Spain2,547,000 1993 DR17 Dansk Melodi Grand Prix 19922,506,000 1992 DR18 The Girl and the Press Photographer2,422,000 1992 TV29 1998 FIFA World Cup quarter-final: Denmark vs Brazil2,390,000 1998 DR110 UEFA Euro 2012 Group Stage: Denmark vs Germany2,378,000 2012 DR1

France RankEventViewersShareDateNetwork1 Speech of the French President Emmanuel Macron in response to the COVID-19 pandemic 36,730,000 94.5% TF1, France 2, France 3, Canal+, M6, C8, TMC, BFMTV, CNews, LCI, franceinfo2 35,300,000 96.1% TF1, France 2, France 3, M6, C8, TMC, BFMTV, CNews, LCI, franceinfo, L'Équipe3 32,700,000 93.6% TF1, France 2, France 3, M6, C8, TMC, BFMTV, CNews, LCI, franceinfo, L'Équipe4 2018 FIFA World Cup final: France vs Croatia 26,200,000 TF1, beIN Sports5 Speech of the French President Emmanuel Macron in response to the COVID-19 pandemic 24,600,000 87% TF1, France 2, France 3, M6, C8, BFMTV, CNews, LCI, franceinfo, L'Equipe6 2022 FIFA World Cup final: Argentina vs France 24,080,000 81% TF1, beIN Sports7 1998 FIFA World Cup final: Brazil vs France 23,647,000 88.4% TF1, Canal+8 Speech of the French President Emmanuel Macron in response to the COVID-19 pandemic 23,610,000 85.6% TF1, France 2, France 3, M6, BFMTV, CNews, LCI, franceinfo9 2024 Summer Olympics opening ceremony 23,240,000 83.1% France 210 Speech of the French President Emmanuel Macron in response to the Yellow vests movement 23,000,000 81.4% TF1, France 2, M6, BFMTV, CNews, LCI, franceinfo

Germany Rank Show Episode Number of viewers Share Date Network1 2014 FIFA World Cup Germany vs Argentina (final) 34,650,000 86.3% Das Erste2 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil vs Germany (semi-final) 32,570,000 87.8% ZDF3 2010 FIFA World Cup Germany vs Spain (semi-final)31,100,000 1, 4 83.2% Das Erste4 UEFA Euro 2016 Germany vs France (semi-final)29,820,000 80.6% ZDF5 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany vs Italy (semi-final)29,660,000 1, 2, 384.1% ZDF6 UEFA Euro 2008 Germany vs Turkey (semi-final) 29,460,00081.6% ZDF7 2010 FIFA World Cup Ghana vs. Germany (group game) 29,190,000 1, 4 79.7% Das Erste8 1990 FIFA World Cup West Germany vs Argentina (final) 28,660,000 87.9% Das Erste9 UEFA Euro 1996 Germany vs Czech Republic (final) 28,440,000 76.3% ZDF10 UEFA Euro 2016 Germany vs Italy (quarter-final) 28,320,000 79.8% Das Erste Notes: Public viewing areas were not included in these ratings. The approximated rating is about 60 to 70 million.Quotenmeter.de article on FIFA World Cup game (German) The extra time period reached 31.31 million viewers.Quotenmeter.de article (German) Summary of the 2010 FIFA World Cup ratings. Summary of the UEFA Euro 2008 ratings. Summary of the UEFA Euro 2012 Germany vs Italy semi-final game.

Note: The UEFA Euro 2008 final is missing from the list, because the lengthy trophy presentation was included into the official ratings. The game itself was watched by 28.05 million viewers.

Italy

Show Viewers Date Channel Ref.(s) Madonna in Concerto 30—35 million 1987 Rai 1

India