Ivory Coast's win over France draws 5.2 Million viewers on TF1

Ivory Coast's 2-1 victory over France in a World Cup warm-up match pulled in an average television audience of 5.2 million viewers in France on Thursday evening, making it the most-watched programme of the night.

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Broadcast live on TF1, the friendly attracted a 31.1 per cent audience share — figures consistent with typical viewership for Les Bleus fixtures and well ahead of all competing programmes on other French channels.

The result itself was a notable one, with Ivory Coast handing Didier Deschamps' side a defeat as both nations stepped up their preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

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TF1 holds broadcast rights to France's pre-tournament friendlies through its partnership with the French Football Federation, while M6 will carry the World Cup itself free-to-air across France.

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France have one more warm-up fixture remaining — a friendly against Northern Ireland on Monday — before opening their World Cup campaign against Senegal on June 16.

The strong ratings reflect the sustained appetite for international football in France ahead of a tournament that gets underway on June 11 across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.