16.3m Peak as England Beat DR Congo on BBC
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- BBC drew a 16.3m peak audience and a 14m average for England's win over DR Congo on Wednesday — the broadcaster's most-watched moment of 2025.
- Harry Kane scored twice in the final 15 minutes after DR Congo took a seventh-minute lead, rescuing England from what the BBC called 'the brink of an early exit.'
- BBC iPlayer, the BBC Sport website and app added 10.4m streams, while the live coverage page was viewed more than 20m times globally (14m in the UK) — the biggest day on BBC Sport digital since the last World Cup.
- England face Mexico in the last 16 at the Estadio Azteca on Monday at 01:00 BST, the Three Lions' first overnight kickoff for UK viewers of the tournament.
- Thomas Tuchel, asked about the school-night timing dilemma, told parents: 'Write an excuse for school and let them watch... the World Cup is every four years. Let them watch.'
- The World Cup accounted for 34% of all hours streamed on BBC iPlayer in the final week of the group stage, with BBC Sport generating 889m video views across social media during the tournament so far.
Why it matters: The 16.3m peak tops the 15.4m figures for both the Croatia opener (ITV) and Ghana draw (BBC), making the DR Congo match England's most-watched group game of the tournament. Monday's 01:00 BST Mexico clash — flagged by the BBC itself as 'an issue for England's young fans' on a school night — becomes the first scheduling test that could thin the live TV audience despite Tuchel's public plea.
