IPL 2026 becomes the most watched season in history — 1.2 billion viewers across television and digital platforms

The 2026 Indian Premier League (IPL) season was the most watched season in the history of the tournament. The broadcaster JioStar announced the tournament was watched by over 1.2 billion viewers on TV and digital platforms. 

The season reported a 7% growth in year-on-year reach, and cumulative watch-time reached 870 billion minutes. The IPL 2026 final, Royal Challengers Bengaluru against  Gujarat Titans also became the most watched game of the tournament with more than 400 million viewers across screens.

1.2 billion viewers, 12 languages, 30 feeds — How IPL 2026 rewrote the record books as the most watched cricket season ever

Jiostar stated that the IPL 2026 witnessed record-breaking engagement across various platforms. Digital video views climbed 8% year over year to 25 billion views and Connected TV (CTV) viewership surged 22%, making it the season’s fastest-growing platform. 

The broadcast also saw a 33% growth in watch time for regional languages onits digital platforms, showing the growing popularity of local-language coverage among fans across the country.

See Also: IPL 2026 Awards — Complete list of every award winner from orange cap to purple cap and beyond

JioStar's IPL 2026 broadcast was presented in 12 languages with 30 feeds, giving multiple options to fans for enjoying the tournament. The broadcaster also enabled multi-camera options and introduced “Champions Wali Commentary” to provide a more personalized viewing experience.

The company further revealed that IPL 2026 attracted 125 new advertisers compared to the previous season. JioStar partnered with 22 sponsors, while another 16 brands joined the Star Sports Network during the tournament.

"Every screen, every moment meaningful’ — JioStar CEO Ishan Chatterjee on how the IPL 2026 final reached 400 million viewers

Speaking on the record viewership for TATA IPL 2026, Ishan Chatterjee, CEO, JioStar Sports, said, "TATA IPL 2026 was a season where we set out on our journey of what a truly integrated sports platform should look like. Our endeavour was to make every screen, every interaction, and every moment meaningful so that fans are not only watching sports on our platform but also interacting with it in ways that are deeply contextual and personal.

He further stated, "The season-ending data is a testament to the efforts we made across platforms, with CTV's communal experience and regional-language presentation becoming unprecedented growth drivers."

JioStar also states that the integration of OpenAI and Swiggy into the IPL viewing experience helped fans to interact with live sports in a more natural and contextual way. The platform also unlocked opportunities for advertisers and brand partners throughout the season. With the IPL now over, the broadcaster has turned its attention to the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 and India's next white-ball tour to England. 

See Also: Virat Kohli Joins Rohit Sharma & Chris Gayle in exclusive IPL club — What he achieved in the 2026 final

The record-breaking tournament ended with an unforgettable final at the Narendra Modi Stadium. Royal Challengers Bengaluru retained the title by beating Gujarat Titans by five wickets with 12 balls remaining. Rasikh Salam starred with the ball, taking 3/27 while Virat Kohli anchored the chase with an unbeaten 75 off 42 balls as RCB won their second IPL trophy in a row.