IPL 2026 Sets Record With Over 1.2 Billion Viewers

The 2026 Indian Premier League has concluded as the most-watched season in the tournament's history, setting new viewership and engagement records. According to data released by official broadcaster JioStar, the season reached a cumulative audience of over 1.2 billion viewers, a seven percent increase from the previous year, with total watch time soaring to 870 billion minutes.

The season culminated on May 31 with the Royal Challengers Bengaluru defeating the Gujarat Titans by five wickets in the final at Ahmedabad's Narendra Modi Stadium. The match itself became the most-watched IPL game ever, reaching over 400 million viewers across television and digital screens. Led by captain Rajat Patidar, RCB successfully defended their title, becoming only the third franchise after Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians to win the IPL in consecutive seasons. The team chased down a target of 156 with Virat Kohli hitting the winning six.

Digital consumption saw particularly strong growth, underscoring a shift in viewing habits. Connected TV viewership grew by 22 percent year-on-year, while digital video views reached 25 billion, an eight percent increase. The share of watch time for...