The Paris Saint-Germain’s historic double in the Champions League failed to capture the same television audience as their maiden triumph last season. While the club secured back-to-back victories, the figures tell a different story, with viewership numbers dipping significantly compared to the 2024-25 campaign.

Last year’s final against Inter Milan, which ended in a commanding 5-0 victory, drew an average of 11.5 million viewers. This time around, PSG’s clash with Arsenal drew 9.1 million total spectators, a sharp decline. On M6, the main broadcaster, 6.2 million tuned in, peaking at 13.5 million during the final whistle, while Canal+ attracted 2.9 million viewers. Compared to the previous season, this represents a drop of over two million viewers on the free-to-air channel alone.

The scheduling clash with Roland-Garros’ third-round match featuring rising French tennis star Moïse Kouamé played a crucial role in the reduced viewership. Kouamé’s match against Alejandro Tabilo began at 4:15 PM, just as PSG’s final was set to kick off at 6:00 PM. Despite the overlap, the young tennis player still managed to draw 3 million spectators to his own contest, though numbers inevitably dipped once the Champions League final took center stage.

A clash of sporting passions

In a lighthearted moment after his four-set loss to Tabilo (6-4, 3-6, 4-6, 6-7 [9-11]), Kouamé joked about catching snippets of the PSG victory. Wearing the club’s jersey, he admitted, “I caught the penalties, I saw the worst moment, I think!” before adding, “It’s a small consolation for my lost match.” The 17-year-old’s resilience and humor endeared him further to fans, even as his own hopes of a deep run in the tournament faded.

For PSG, the back-to-back triumph marks a new chapter in their European ambitions, yet the numbers reflect the challenges of competing for audience attention in a crowded sporting landscape. The club’s ability to maintain momentum while balancing fan engagement across multiple sports will be closely watched in the seasons ahead.

By Mariama Hamani — Analyst