Fans cheer in the stands during an IPL 2026 match. (PTI photo)
NEW DELHI: IPL 2026 recorded its highest ever viewership reach with the ongoing season crossing a combined 1.1 billion viewers across TV and digital platforms as the playoff race heads into a dramatic finale.According to data released by JioStar, the continued unpredictability of the tournament helped sustain fan engagement throughout the league phase and fueled strong growth across both linear TV and digital.A combined reach of 1.1 billion makes IPL 2026 the most consumed season in the history of the tournament so far. Linear TV remains strong and is on track to reach the 500 million mark, while digital has emerged as the main driver of growth.Digital reach increased by 15 percent compared to last season, and viewing time also increased by seven percent. Internet-connected television also saw a sharp increase, with reach increasing by 25 percent and viewing time increasing by 20 percent.One of the significant trends was the growth of regional viewership. Watch time for regional language channels increased by 42 percent, underscoring IPL’s deepening footprint across markets outside of English and Hindi audiences.Anup Govindan, head of sales at JioStar Sports, said the tight play-off battle played a major role in maintaining consistent high viewership.“What stands out this IPL season is the consistency of fan engagement throughout the league phase across JioStar’s platforms. The intensity of the competition has driven weekly reach, showing how strongly the tournament resonates with fans across screens.”The broadcaster also reported a surge in brand participation. A total of 125 new advertisers have joined this season compared to IPL 2025. Of these, 22 have entered into digital partnerships and 16 have signed up for television, reflecting the tournament’s growing appeal to both legacy and tech brands.JioStar’s “Champions Wali Feed” has also become a big attraction. Featuring experts like Ravichandran Ashwin, Suresh Raina, Harbhajan Singh, Virender Sehwag and Irfan Pathan, the alternative feed combines live analysis, anecdotes and predictions with match action.With several teams still in contention for the playoffs, each game carried added significance — a factor that seemed to translate directly into the record-breaking viewership.(Note: Data for 51 matches on LTV, 57 on digital)
