The 13th edition of the World Cup concluded on Sunday with Australia securing their sixth title by defeating hosts India, and the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced on Tuesday that a record-breaking 1.25 million fans attended matches during the tournament, which took place from October 5 to November 19 in India.
The total attendance of 1,250,307 spectators surpassed the previous record of 1.016 million set at the 2015 edition in Australia and New Zealand.Despite some early matches, particularly those not involving runners-up India, experiencing empty seats in venues, overall spectator figures had already crossed the one million mark with six games remaining.Chris Tetley, the ICC Head of Events, declared the one-day international (ODI) tournament a “great success.”
“The staggering attendance demonstrates the enduring appeal of cricket and excitement the ODI format continues to offer,” Tetley said in a statement, adding that the tournament also broke multiple broadcast and digital viewership records.
“It has been an event that has not only entertained but also united cricket fans globally in a celebration of the sport.”
(With Reuters inputs)