Paramount+ has recently highlighted their successful viewership numbers for Australian Football.
Paramount+ and Channel 10 struck a deal in 2024 with Football Australia (FA) that gave them the TV rights for the Australian national teams and domestic Isuzu UTE A-League and Ninja A-League Women’s to be televised on the platforms.
Recently it was posted that a record number of viewers since its deal.
The CommBank Matildas in 2025 reached 2.73 million total national viewers, which averaged 336,000 total national viewers in prime time. This resulted in the biggest ever viewing on Paramount+, which went up 138%.
The 2025-26 season Ninja A-League Women also gained positive results with its biggest ever streaming audiences, up 16% on 10 and up 72% on Paramount+.
These numbers support the consistently growing trend since the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup on Australian soil.
The Men’s national team, the CommBank Socceroos, also had successful viewership, their games reached 2.98 million viewers in 2025, averaging 310,000 total national viewers in prime time.
This means the viewers are up 35% year-on-year in total national viewers with the biggest viewing audience ever on 10, up 39% and on Paramount+, up 17%.
The Isuzu UTE A-League Men recorded its biggest ever A-League viewership in the 2024-2025 season on Paramount+ and 10 with 5.1 million national viewers.
The current 2025-26 season further built on this, surpassing last season with numbers up 31% on 10 and up 48% on Paramount+.
These numbers are promising signs of football’s growth on these providing services, Paramount+ and Channel 10 have done well to elevate the local footballing market.
How the numbers increased points to some important influential factors. The Socceroos’ eventual qualification to the FIFA 2026 World Cup brings national traction; the nature of group stage knockouts and a spot in the world’s biggest sporting event brings jeopardy and, respectively, the viewers.
The Matilda’s continue to grow on their recent success towards the 2026 Women’s Asian Cup in Australia. Their rise in the social and sporting worlds has spearheaded this increase.
Australia has always been a nation that has rallied support and viewership when on the national stage.
The rise of the domestic leagues is a rather more interesting surprise. It showcases that the domestic game is still watched and enjoyed, even more so for both women’s and men’s.
Small in comparison to other sporting codes, but progression is still progression. Even when the systems of Australian Football, such as the recent problems with the Australian professional Leagues (APL) and the FA, seem to continue to disrupt.
The FA will undoubtedly be benefiting from this deal; it was, in retrospect, a very smart partnership. Building on this success is important; making it more accessible is key.
The diehard football fans could worry what impact this has had on stadium numbers, however, which have not seen as much of a significant rise. For Paramount+ and Channel 10, it’s great business. To gain rights before big events or following rising trends is a smart move.
The services can only benefit from this traction. If they stay true to the fans, the sport can benefit as well, with growing popularity, investment and accessibility.
If they ask for more and place pressure on the viewers, it could be counter-intuitive. In the end, this is what gaining TV rights for sport involves.
You must relinquish control of the content of the sport. Build on the narratives available; areas where they can market or showcase should be focused on.
In the end, the actual sport itself dictates the viewership.
The games, drama, excitement. it cannot be scripted, only moulded around.
That is why football is so loved; its unique nature keeps its spirit alive.
The common football saying “let the game flow” holds true in this; faith in the game will bring all involved success.
