The Premier League recorded 9.04 billion minutes of watch-time on JioStar during the 2025/26 season, highlighting the growing popularity of the league among Indian viewers.

JioStar, in partnership with Nielsen, released a study titled ‘The Beautiful Game’s Indian Decade’, which looks at the growth, reach and viewing habits of Premier League fans in India. The study uses BARC India data along with Nielsen consumer research.

According to the report, the Premier League’s combined reach across JioStar’s linear television and digital platforms has grown 2.4 times in the last five years. The league now has around 144.5 million followers in India.

The growth is also spreading beyond major metropolitan cities. Rajasthan, Bihar/Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh together accounted for around 12 percent of Premier League viewership five years ago.

Their combined share has now risen to nearly 25 percent, recording more than 200 percent growth during the period.

Towns with populations of more than one million now contribute around 55 percent of mobile and web viewing and nearly 63 percent of Connected TV viewing, highlighting the growing popularity of the league in non-metro markets.

The report also found that major international football tournaments can boost interest in the Premier League.

Following the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Premier League viewership in India increased by 58 percent in the subsequent season, followed by continued double-digit growth.

The study also described Premier League fans as one of India’s most premium consumer segments. Around 70 percent of fans pay monthly credit card bills of more than Rs.40,000, while 67 percent have a CIBIL score of 751 or above. Around 87 percent are paid subscribers to OTT, music or sports platforms.

Viewer engagement remains strong throughout the season, which features 380 matches from August to May. Around 27 percent of total watch-time takes place between midnight and 3 a.m., reflecting the popularity of late-night live match viewing.

Paul Molnar, Chief Media Officer of the Premier League, said the report highlights the league’s rapidly growing fanbase in India and its increasing connection with clubs and players.

Anup Govindan, Head of Sales, Sports, JioStar, said the next phase of growth will be driven by young audiences across both metro and non-metro markets.

Hemant Kewalya, India Lead – Audience Measurement at Nielsen, said that football is the second-most popular sport among adults in India after cricket, according to Nielsen’s global research.

The study highlights the Premier League’s growing presence across television, digital and Connected TV platforms and its expanding audience base across India.