A record 1.25 million fans attended matches of the 13th FIFA World Cup, which ended on Sunday with Australia defeating hosts India to claim their sixth title, international body the International Cricket Council (ICC) said on Tuesday.
A total of 1,250,307 fans watched the spectacular event, which ran from October 5 to November 19, from the stands, surpassing the previous mark of 1.016 million set at the 2015 tournament in Australia and New Zealand.
Although there were plenty of empty seats in the stadiums for the opening matches, which did not feature second-place India, the total number of spectators has already crossed the one million mark with six games remaining.
ICC head of events Chris Tetley said the one-day international (ODI) was a “great success”.
“The stunning turnout demonstrates the enduring appeal of cricket and the excitement that the ODI format continues to offer,” Tetley said in a statement, adding that the tournament also broke several television broadcast and digital viewing records.
“This event not only entertained, but also united cricket fans around the world in celebration of the sport.”
