Messi and Mbappé Set New Records in Their First FIFA World Cup 2026 Matches. Antena 1 Remains the Clear Ratings Leader on Day Six of the Tournament
The giants of world football continue to make history from the very first matches of the FIFA World Cup 2026, broadcast exclusively by Antena. Lionel Messi has enjoyed a perfect start to the tournament, with the Argentina captain breaking yet another world record by becoming the all-time leading goalscorer. Mbappé was not to be outdone, and thanks to the two goals he scored last night, he became France’s all-time top scorer.
Yesterday’s matches, France vs. Senegal and Iran vs. New Zealand, as well as Saudi Arabia vs. Uruguay — the previous day’s featured match, for which audience data became available today — dominated the ratings charts across all audience categories. Antena 1 was also the clear ratings leader during Prime Time and throughout the entire day.
During the Group I match France vs. Senegal, broadcast between 21:51 and 00:05, Antena 1 ranked first among the commercial audience aged 21–54, recording an 8.1 rating and a 38.3% market share, followed by Pro TV with a 3.7 rating and a 17.2% market share.
The same ranking was maintained among urban viewers, where the match achieved an 8.2 rating and a 29.5% market share, ahead of Pro TV’s 3.9 rating and 14.1% market share. Nationwide, Antena 1 also led with a 7.0 rating and a 25.2% market share, compared to Pro TV’s 4.5 rating and 16.0% market share.
At the peak viewing minute, recorded at 22:47, nearly 1.5 million viewers were watching the match on Antena 1.
The Group G match Iran vs. New Zealand, broadcast between 04:04 and 06:03, was also the audience’s first choice, achieving an average rating of 0.9 and a 36.7% market share among the commercial audience aged 21–54, ahead of Kanal D, which recorded a 0.3 rating and a 14.0% market share. Throughout the broadcast period, Antena 1 led the ratings charts across all major audience categories.
Antena 1 also topped the rankings across the entire day, recording a 2.2 rating and a 23.6% market share, ahead of second-placed Pro TV, which registered a 1.9 rating and a 20.5% market share. During Prime Time (19:00–00:00), Antena 1 remained the market leader with a 5.4 rating and a 27.4% market share, compared to Pro TV’s 4.3 rating and 22.2% market share.
The previous day’s match between Saudi Arabia and Uruguay, broadcast between 01:00 and 03:04, also led the ratings rankings, posting an average rating of 1.7 and a 34.3% market share among viewers aged 21–54. Pro TV followed with a 0.7 rating and a 14.0% market share. The same hierarchy was maintained across all other key audience categories.
France defeated Senegal 3–1 on the sixth day of the FIFA World Cup in one of the most exciting matches played so far in the tournament. The game, held at MetLife Stadium — the venue that will also host the FIFA World Cup 2026 Final — delivered outstanding entertainment. Kylian Mbappé scored twice, setting a new record as France’s all-time leading goalscorer. The other French goal was scored by Barcola, while Mbaye found the net for Senegal.
At nearly 39 years of age, Lionel Messi made history once again yesterday. As soon as he stepped onto the pitch, the Argentina captain became the first player in football history to participate in six FIFA World Cup tournaments. Thanks to his hat-trick against Algeria, he also became the oldest player in FIFA World Cup history to score three goals in a single match.
FIFA World Cup – Day 7 Schedule
• 20:00 – Portugal vs. DR Congo (Antena 1 and AntenaPLAY)
• 23:00 – England vs. Croatia (Antena 1 and AntenaPLAY)
• 02:00 – Ghana vs. Panama (Antena 1 and AntenaPLAY)
• 05:00 – Uzbekistan vs. Colombia (Antena 1 and AntenaPLAY)
Source: Fifty5Blue
Copyright: ARMADATA S.R.L.
Data processed by the Research Department of Antena Group.
The analysis is based on the following targets: Urban 21–54, Urban Total, and National.
Period: 16 June 2026
