Screen epics: World Cup 2026 viewing parties around the globe – in pictures

<p>Photographs from across Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas show communities gathering to watch the greatest show on earth</p><p>Viewing figures for the 2026 World Cup have been massive so far, with footy-mad audiences lapping up the coverage. <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/17/england-croatia-world-cup-2026-group-l-match-report">England’s victory over Croatia</a> had a peak audience of 15.4 million on ITV, but that was nothing compared to Brazil where more than 30 million people watched as the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/20/brazil-haiti-world-cup-match-report">Seleçao beat Haiti</a>. In Japan, the Samurai Blue drew a crowd of more than 20 million to Nippon TV for <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/21/japan-tunisia-world-cup-group-f-match-report">their match with Tunisia</a>, while crowds watching the game on their phones flooded across Shibuya Crossing to celebrate a goal (pictured below). Of course, the real blockbuster games are still to come: <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/2022/dec/18/world-cup-final-argentina-france-match-report">the 2022 World Cup final</a> between Argentina and France reached an average live audience of 571 million viewers globally, according to Fifa.</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/football/ng-interactive/2026/jun/24/world-cup-2026-viewing-parties-around-the-globe-in-pictures">Continue reading...</a>