The women’s World Cup is proving popular in football-mad Germany as nearly 20 million viewers tuned in to watch the host team beat Nigeria and set a new television record.

Germany’s 1-0 victory in Frankfurt on Thursday was watched by an average television audience of 16.39 million people, 51.7 per cent of the German market, which rose to 19.13 million, 64 per cent, at its peak.

The average figure is a new record for a women’s football match here as it beats the previous best of 15.37 million viewers who tuned into Sunday’s opening game in Berlin when Germany defeated Canada 2-1 in Group A.

The figures compare favourably with the average figure of 21.9m who tuned in to watch Germany’s games at the men’s 2006 World Cup, which was also held here.

“It’s unbelievable that the viewing figures have been improved again,” Theo Zwanziger, the president of the German FA(DFB), told SID.

“The numbers show how much interest there is in women’s football.”

And former player Steffi Jones, the head of the organising committee, was also delighted. “This is the kind of platform we want women’s football to have,” she said.

“This is an opportunity to promote the sport and the media is making it possible.”