The World Cup semifinal between Argentina and England was more than just a match: it was a spectacle that kept half of Spain glued to their screens. With a 57% audience share and more than 8.1 million viewers on La 1, the encounter that sealed the path to the final became the most-watched programme on Tuesday, July 15. The result was significant: Argentina's epic comeback in the dying moments not only secured them a place in the final this Sunday, July 19, against Spain at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, but also confirmed what everyone wanted to know at home: who would be our opponent in the fight for the World Cup.

A match that captivated all of Spain

The numbers speak for themselves. More than 13.4 million unique viewers tuned in at some point during the broadcast, according to mundodeportivo.com. It was inevitable: across Spain there was an almost morbid expectation of discovering the opponent, and Argentina-England delivered emotions aplenty. That 57% audience share reflects the near-total dominance of the match over any other television option that night. In an increasingly fragmented television landscape, where a 20% share is already considered a respectable success, these numbers are simply monumental.

The domino effect on La 1: 'Masters of Sewing' breaks its all-time record

What's interesting is that the appetite for viewing didn't stop when the match ended. The fourth episode of Masters of Sewing Celebrity 2 managed to capitalize on the momentum of viewers who didn't turn off their sets after the encounter. The sewing talent show notched a brutal 17.2% share and an average of 932,000 viewers, but what was truly remarkable is that more than 4.5 million people tuned in at some point to the programme. It was the all-time high for the format on TVE.

This demonstrates something any television editor knows well: when you have a prior audience "cushion" of that magnitude, the carryover effect is practically guaranteed. Many viewers simply didn't switch channels after the emotion of the World Cup.

TVE's morning schedule also continues unstoppable

That La 1 was on a roll we already knew, but Tuesday's figures confirm it unequivocally. La Hora de La 1 posted an excellent 24.3% audience share with 445,000 average viewers, while Mañaneros 360 led its time slot with a 17.4% share and more than 538,000 viewers. These are numbers that confirm that prime time is not the only territory where the public broadcaster dominates.

It wasn't a bad day for other programmes either: Directo al grano registered its best figure since February with 12.1% share and more than one million viewers, falling just two tenths short of being the most-watched option in its time slot.

Now, the big showdown: Sunday, the final

But if yesterday was a record audience, what looms for Sunday, July 19, will likely be another unprecedented battle. Spain will face Argentina in New Jersey, and it's practically certain we'll see historic television consumption figures again. The question now is not who the opponent will be, but whether the final will manage to surpass yesterday's numbers.

Do you think there will be even more viewers on Sunday watching Spain fight for the World Cup?