ESPN reports 33 per cent viewership surge as Texas and Texas Tech set for WCWS final

The 2026 Women’s College World Series has delivered a substantial increase in television ratings for ESPN, with viewership rising by 33 per cent year-on-year through the first 10 games. The broadcaster announced on Tuesday that an average of 1.5 million viewers tuned in across the first four days of the tournament, a period that saw three of the five most-watched non-finals games in the event’s history broadcast.

Opening Day established a new benchmark for the series, drawing an average of 1.2 million viewers and marking a 63 per cent increase compared to the previous year. The contest between Arkansas and Nebraska on that Thursday became the most-watched opening day game on record, attracting 1.4 million viewers.

Weekend coverage further accelerated these figures, driven by high-stakes semi-final matches. Texas Tech’s extra-inning victory over UCLA on Sunday attracted an average of 2.0 million viewers, with a peak audience of 2.6 million. Coverage on ABC also performed strongly, with Texas’s win over Nebraska and Texas Tech’s victory against Tennessee each averaging 1.9 million viewers.

Both finalists advanced to the championship series via extra-inning games on Monday. Texas defeated Tennessee 5-2 in the first game and 4-0 in the second, securing their place in the finals for the fourth time in five seasons. Texas Tech also required extra innings to eliminate Tennessee, setting up a rematch of the 2025 final.

The championship series will see Texas face Texas Tech for the second consecutive year. The Longhorns defeated the Red Raiders in three games in 2025, and the first game of the 2026 final is scheduled for Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN. Viewership data for Monday’s semi-final games was not available at the time of publication.