The BBC’s viewership peaked at 16.8 million as England beat Switzerland on penalties. (Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)

The BBC’s coverage of England’s penalty shootout victory over Switzerland in the Euro 2024 quarter-final drew in more than three quarters of the UK’s TV viewers on Saturday, with a peak audience of almost 17 million tuning in.

The public-service broadcaster attracted an average of 13.6 million viewers for the men's national soccer match, which went to extra-time and penalties after a 1-1 draw, resulting in a 77% audience share.

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Viewership peaked at 16.8 million, while the quarter-final clash was also streamed 8.9 million times across the BBC iPlayer streaming service, the BBC Sport website, and app.

Commercial broadcaster ITV drew a peak audience of 18.4 million for England’s 2-1 extra-time win over Slovakia in the last-16 and an average of 11.3 million.

This landed ITV the biggest television audience on any UK channel for 18 months.

Following the dramatic victory over Switzerland, England will face the Netherlands in the semi-final on Wednesday, with the game to be shown on ITV (which is sharing tournament rights with the BBC).

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As with previous tournaments, the BBC and ITV will simultaneously broadcast the final on Sunday (July 14).

Elsewhere, in France, that national team’s penalty shootout triumph over Portugal on Friday night (July 5) was watched by almost 12.7 million viewers on commercial broadcaster M6.

This delivered a share of 58% in the country and the best TV audience of the year.

France will now face Spain in the other semi-final after the latter defeated hosts Germany 2-1 on Friday with a late winner in extra-time.

That match will be shown by public-service broadcaster TF1, while the final in Berlin will be aired by M6.