Premier League clocks over 9 billion minutes of watch-time in India: Report
Football viewership in India reached a milestone, with total watch time for the Premier League exceeding 9.04 billion minutes across the JioStar network during the 2025/26 season. A joint study titled 'The Beautiful Game's Indian Decade' conducted by JioStar and Nielsen using BARC data, highlighted…
A joint study titled 'The Beautiful Game's Indian Decade' conducted by JioStar and Nielsen using BARC data, highlighted a 2.4-fold expansion in combined linear television and digital reach over the last five years. The Premier League is a professional association football league in England.
Viewership has increasingly shifted toward regional markets. "This report reaffirms that the audience growth is not just in scale, but in affluence, engagement and diversity and the next growth phase will be driven by young, metro, and non-metro audiences that seek experiences beyond live.
What Happened
"This report reaffirms that the audience growth is not just in scale, but in affluence, engagement and diversity and the next growth phase will be driven by young, metro, and non-metro audiences that seek experiences beyond live matches." Premier League Chief Media.
Football viewership in India reached a milestone, with total watch time for the Premier League exceeding 9.04 billion minutes across the JioStar network during the 2025/26 season.
According to the JioStar report, watch time on linear television for the league is three times that of the UEFA Champions League, with total league followers in India reaching 144.5 million.
States including Rajasthan, Bihar, Jharkhand, and Uttar Pradesh, which accounted for 12 per cent of total views five years ago, now represent nearly 25 per cent of the audience, driven by a growth rate.
Key Details
"As we look ahead to another exciting season, we remain committed to working closely with JioStar to bring fans in India closer to the Premier League and deliver the best possible viewing experience."
Non-metro centres with populations over one million contribute 55 per cent of mobile and web views and 63 per cent of Connected TV viewing.
Audience profiling shows high discretionary spending among viewers, with 70 per cent paying monthly credit card bills above ₹40,000, 67 per cent holding CIBIL scores of 751 or higher, and 87 per cent holding.
Viewing patterns show sustained late-night engagement, with 27 per cent of total watch-time logged between 12:00 a.m.
Why It Matters
International tournaments also drive domestic club viewership, as league interest rose 58 per cent in the season following the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
He noted that the study provides clarity on cross-platform media engagement, supporting strategic industry decision-making.
What Reports Say
Coverage of the story so far points to:
Continued reporting by Hindustan Times as more details emerge
