Liverpool and Arsenal continue record-breaking viewership trend in FA Cup clash

Liverpool’s 2-0 victory over Arsenal in the third round of the FA Cup January 7 garnered a record-breaking peak television audience in the UK.

The game, broadcast on BBC One, attracted 7.6 million viewers, making it the highest-rated FA Cup third-round fixture in history. Fellow English heavyweights Liverpool and Arsenal have been no strangers to unprecedented viewership this season – their 1-1 draw on December 23 became the most-watched Premier League game ever in the United States.

The FA Cup match also saw two million additional views via BBC iPlayer. The cumulative impact resulted in an average audience of nearly six million, securing a remarkable 44 percent share of viewership. This surpasses the previous record set in 2020 when 7.3 million tuned in to witness Liverpool’s 1-0 triumph over crosstown rivals Everton at the same stage of the competition.

“It’s fantastic to see record audiences for coverage of the FA Cup, a competition with so much history, drama and magic,” commented Barbara Slater, Director of BBC Sport.

“We are dedicated to providing audiences with coverage from right across the tournament, from live matches on TV and iPlayer, to TV highlights and digital clips on the BBC Sport website and social media.

“I can’t wait to see what the rest of the competition has in store.”

Premier League leader Liverpool is set to face either Norwich City or Bristol Rovers in the fourth round of the FA Cup on January 27.