World Rugby has announced that the Rugby World Cup in France in 2023 was the most-watched rugby event in history, with a 19% increase in viewership compared to the 2019 tournament in Japan. The global showpiece amassed 1.33 billion viewing hours across linear and non-linear broadcasts, making it 30% more viewed than the previous Rugby World Cup in England in 2015, and 19% more viewed than the 2019 tournament in Japan. France had the highest viewership worldwide, with 481 million viewing hours, despite being knocked out in the quarter-finals. The United Kingdom came close to breaking the 2015 viewership record, with 361 million viewing hours, despite a decline in overall linear TV viewership. Growing viewership has also been observed in emerging rugby markets like Germany, Italy, and the USA. The final between South Africa and New Zealand was the most-watched match, with 94 million viewing hours. 86% of Japanese viewership came from live programming, highlighting the appetite for the sport in that market. World Rugby's CEO expressed his delight at the increased viewership and stated that the organization will continue to work with its broadcast partners to enhance the viewing experience and make rugby a global sport for all.