3.5 bn people viewed World Cup 2018; over 1 bn watched France vs Croatia: FIFA

FIFA says more than 3.5 billion people viewed some of the 2018 World Cup, with 1.12 billion watching at least one minute of France beating Croatia 4-2 in the final.

A FIFA-commissioned review of World Cup viewing says the final's television audience was 516.6 million by the traditional measure of "global average in-home audience." More watched on digital devices and out-of-home screenings in public spaces, bars and restaurants.

The global TV audience for the 64-game tournament in Russia averaged 191 million per game — up from 187 million for the 2014 edition in Brazil.

FIFA says "each game was a global televisual event in its own right." FIFA's research suggests most viewers also watched for longer than they did four years earlier.