2026 FIFA World Cup Audiences Are Growing and Fragmenting in Australia, Nexxen Forecast Finds

Why It Matters

The insights reveal a growing, yet increasingly platform‑agnostic, soccer audience in Australia, signaling that marketers must adopt multi‑screen, programmatic strategies to capture premium sports viewers. This shift reshapes ad spend allocation and creative placement across TV, streaming and mobile environments.

Key Takeaways

• 31% plan to combine linear TV with BVOD for live matches
• 88% will watch on TV, rising to 93% for weekend games
• 43% expect to use mobile or laptop for daytime viewing
• 79% will stay engaged even if Australia is eliminated, up 11%

Pulse Analysis

Australia’s appetite for the 2026 FIFA World Cup is on an upward trajectory, but the way fans will tune in is fragmenting across devices and platforms. Traditional linear television remains the dominant outlet, with 88% of respondents planning to watch on the big screen, yet a sizable share—31%—will blend that experience with broadcaster‑owned video‑on‑demand services. This hybrid consumption mirrors broader global trends where audiences seek flexibility, opting for the most convenient source at any given moment. For marketers, the implication is clear: a single‑channel approach no longer guarantees reach, and data‑driven planning is essential to navigate the evolving media landscape.

Nexxen’s report highlights nuanced shifts that advertisers must account for. Daytime viewership leans heavily toward mobile and laptop devices, with 43% of respondents indicating they will watch matches on smaller screens. Weekend and prime‑time slots, however, continue to draw the majority to television, pushing the TV share to 93% for weekend games. Notably, engagement appears less tied to national team performance, as 79% say they will stay tuned even if Australia exits early—a full 11‑point jump from the 2022 tournament. These dynamics suggest that brand messages can be anchored to the event itself rather than the home team, expanding the pool of potential touchpoints.

For agencies and brands, Nexxen’s unified SSP/DSP platform offers a practical pathway to capitalize on these insights. Programmatic access to Nexxen TV Home Screen placements enables advertisers to insert native, context‑relevant ads at the moment viewers discover content, whether on a smart TV or a streaming interface. By marrying audience forecasts with real‑time activation tools, marketers can deliver cohesive campaigns that follow fans across linear, BVOD and mobile environments, maximizing impact in a fragmented yet highly engaged sports audience.