Record 1.12 billion watched 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup

Oct. 18 (UPI) -- The 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup was watched by 1.12 billion viewers, the most in the history of the tournament.

Those viewers watched the tournament on TV at home, on digital platforms or out of home, according to a FIFA audit published Friday. More than 993 million viewers watched on TV alone, while 481.5 million accessed coverage digitally.

More than 260 million viewers watched the United States Women's National Team beat the Netherlands in the World Cup final July 7 in Lyon, France.

The final was the most-watched match in Women's World Cup history, with its average live audience up 56 percent compared with the 2015 Women's World Cup final. The final drew 22 percent more U.S. viewers than the 2018 Men's World Cup final.

"More than a sporting event, the FIFA Women's World Cup 2019 was a cultural phenomenon attracting more media attention than ever before and providing a platform for women's football to flourish in the spotlight," FIFA President Gianni Infantino said in a news release.

"The fact that we broke the 1 billion target just shows the pulling power of the women's game and the fact that, if we promote and broadcast world-class football widely, whether it's played by men or women, the fans will always want to watch."

Viewership for the 2019 Women's World Cup was up 30 percent for those watching on TV, compared to the 2015 Women's World Cup.

The U.S. women were involved in three of the five most-watched games from the 2019 Women's World Cup. France's round of 16 win against Brazil was the second most-watched game at the tournament, drawing a global live audience of 60.67 million.

The U.S. women's team's wins against England in the semifinals drew 43.16 million as the third most-watched game. The U.S. women's team's win against France in the quarterfinals was the fifth most-watched game, drawing 35.78 million.

Asia delivered the most unique views out of all regions, with 414.1 million viewers watching coverage for at least one minute, 37.1 percent of the total globally. North America accounted for 15.8 percent of the global viewership, trailing Asia and Europe, but edging South America (14.7 percent).

A record 3.572 billion people watched the 2018 FIFA Men's World Cup, which took place in Russia. The final between France and Croatia attracted a global audience of 1.1 billion. The average live audience for each match was 191 million.

Qatar will host the 2022 Men's World Cup, while a host country has not been selected for the 2023 Women's World Cup.