Record TV audience of 1.5 billion to watch World Cup final as viewers defy boycott call

A record TV audience of more than 1.5 billion will tune into the World Cup final today, according to officials.

Fifa claims more people will watch Argentina play France – pitching Lionel Messi against fellow superstar Kylian Mbappe – than the 2018 World Cup when 1.12bn watched France beat Croatia in Moscow.

The sport’s governing body says every stage of the tournament in Qatar has seen record viewing figures despite calls for fans to boycott games because of concerns around human rights and the deaths of migrant workers.

Meanwhile the number of spectators attending games is expected to surpass the 3.3 million recorded in Russia.

The staging of the tournament in Qatar has been the subject of relentless criticism since the decision was taken in 2010 as critics question the human rights records of the tiny country where thousands of migrant workers reportedly died building the stadiums and infrastructure.

There was has also been concern for the safety of supporters as same-sex relationships are illegal under Islamic Sharia law.

Meanwhile, it has emerged Scots fans Googled England’s World Cup team more than any other side at the tournament, according to research.

Data provider Semrush found people in Scotland searched for Gareth Southgate’s side more than the stars of Brazil, Gareth Bale’s Wales and Japan with Celtic striker Daizen Meida leading the attack in Qatar.

The most Googled World Cup stars in Scotland have been Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.

Fernando Angulo, of Semrush, said: “Perhaps surprisingly, given the longstanding sporting rivalries, England topped the table as the most Googled World Cup team among Scottish supporters.

“Our data has also found that, north of the border, many of the other World Cup contending nations with strong connections to Scotland also proved popular with searching Scots, including Canada, Australia and Japan.

“Many of these nations also have players either born in, or based in, Scotland, further linking Scots support for these teams to the country.

“Further research on the most popular sporting stars in the competition showed that Ronaldo and Messi were dominant when it comes to Scotland’s most Googled World Cup stars, a fact largely supported by the fact they may be two of the greatest players to ever lace up their boots.”