24 million watch England's World Cup semi-final defeat to Argentina

The World Cup semi-final, where England faced Argentina, attracted a peak audience of 24 million viewers, marking it as the most-watched live TV event in the past five years. Broadcast on BBC One and iPlayer, the match averaged 22.1 million viewers, complemented by 12.6 million streams on the BBC Sport website and app. England's Anthony Gordon netted a goal early in the second half, but Enzo Fernandez equalized with just five minutes remaining, and Lautaro Martinez secured Argentina's victory with a header in stoppage time, sending them to their second consecutive World Cup final. The BBC Sport live coverage page recorded over 24.6 million views worldwide, including 18.8 million from the UK. England will compete against France for third place in Miami on Saturday, while Argentina will face Spain in the final in New Jersey on Sunday. BBC Director of Sport Alex Kay-Jelski highlighted the event's ability to unite viewers.