The historic match of the Georgian national team not only had significant sporting importance but also achieved record-breaking television viewership on the Euro 2024 host channel—the First Channel of the Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB).

On June 26, the Georgia-Portugal match set a new record with an average viewership of 1,272,511 per minute, surpassing the previous high of 1,061,767 during the Greece-Georgia match on March 26. This figure does not include group viewings in public places.

Additionally, 820,000 people streamed the match online, marking an unusually high number both domestically and internationally.

“This was a historic moment unfolding before our eyes. Congratulations to the nation on this remarkable victory; Georgia shone brightly at the European Championship with our team playing outstanding, proud, and emotional games. The public broadcaster’s significance during such moments is evident as it ensures the accessibility of crucial national events across all platforms through its financial, technological, and human resources. We look forward to continuing this success,” said Tinatin Berdzenishvili, Director General of the Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB).

Acknowledging the fragmented audience across various platforms, the GPB emphasizes its distribution strategy and prioritizes strengthening digital platforms.

1tvplay, Georgia’s first free streaming platform launched by the Public Broadcaster in September, already has approximately 300,000 registered users.

The platform offers a range of content including Georgian films and TV series produced by the First Channel, documentaries, exclusive sports broadcasts, animations, TV shows, and a catalogue of films with the best Georgian dubbing from the First Channel.