France’s third division significantly outperforms Saudi Pro League’s viewership

On Canal+, a midtable clash in the third division of French football had six times the viewers of one of the Saudi Pro League’s most prestigious fixtures according to L’Équipe . 

On the 1st of March as FC Rouen lined up against Sochaux-Montbéliard in the Championnat National, Al-Hilal and Al-Ittihad were playing a top-of-the-table battle in Saudi Arabia. It was a game that should have been a demonstration of the vast quality that was procured over the summer. 

Both teams had made major invests in a summer that appeared as if it would define a new direction in the global game (and perhaps it still will), as Kalidou Koulibaly, Yassine Bounou, and Sergej Milinković-Savić collided against Fabinho, N’Golo Kanté, and Romarinho. And yet, only 5000 viewers tuned into the battle at the top to watch Al-Hilal’s 3-1 victory and their continued march to the title. 

In France, the figures have been concerning for a league that boasts the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Sadio Mané, Riyad Mahrez and Neymar. And it is a trend that appears to be reflected across the globe as no broadcaster across 130 territories is willing to share the amount of viewers that it has. 

Canal+ when contacted by L’Équipe was no exception and did not wish to provide an assessment of its deal lasting two seasons. However, behind the scenes, the league is allegedly receiving almost no audience to speak of. 

The SPL claimed to the paper that “ Obtaining accurate and comprehensive data on television audiences, particularly on a global scale, is a significant challenge. However, this is a recurring topic in our discussions with our partners and we are trying to improve our ability to collect this data .” 

Although it is thought that the league has had a significant