Channel 4’s Paralympic Winter Games coverage in the UK reaches 8.9 million

Coverage of the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games on Channel 4 in the United Kingdom reached 8.9 million viewers during the Games. 

Channel 4 broadcast more than 60 hours of live sport across Channel 4, Channel 4 Streaming and Channel 4 Sports YouTube, with supporting content on Instagram, TikTok and Facebook. And continuing to broadcast accessible Paralympics coverage, all content was subtitled, live broadcast coverage had live audio description from 10:30 each day, and the daily highlights programme featured live British Sign Language translation. Plus, the Opening and Closing Ceremonies were simulcast on 4seven and Channel 4 Streaming with BSL and an open descriptive commentary.  

On Channel 4, the Games reached 8.9 million, up 25 per cent compared to Beijing 2022, whilst the 16-34 reach was up 13 per cent on coverage of the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games. Streaming views of Milano Cortina 2026 saw a huge uplift of 121 per cent versus streaming views of the Beijing 2022 Games, rising from 384,000 in 2022 to 849,000 in 2026 and demonstrating changing habits across sports viewing. 

Social media accounts Channel 4 Sport and C4Paralympics have so far generated 10.4 million global views across TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube, with the addition of more than 250,000 live YouTube streams of sporting action.  

Para snowboard cross, Para biathlon and mixed team wheelchair curling delivered Channel 4’s highest peak viewing of the Games on Sunday 8 March. The 5-minute peak at 12:45, saw 582,000 viewers and an 18.1 per cent share of 16-34s. 

During the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games, Channel 4 once again collaborated with ParalympicsGB  to support their Every Body Moves campaign, which encourages disabled people across the UK to take up a sport or physical activity. Throughout coverage of Milano Cortina 2026, a digital NaviLens accessible code was featured on screen that when scanned on a smartphone linked directly to the Every Body Moves portal. NaviLens technology was included for the first time during these Games to allow more accessibility for blind or visually impaired users.  

During the Milano Cortina 2026, the Every Body Moves platform saw an uplift in 180 per cent in users, compared to the yearly average.  

Channel 4’s coverage of the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games was produced for Channel 4 by Whisper. The behind-the-scenes team was made up of at least 25 per cent staff who identify as having a disability, with the majority having previously worked for and been supported in their career by Whisper and Channel 4. The team also included a higher proportion of talent with disabilities in senior off-screen roles than ever before. 

Pete Andrews, Channel 4’s Head of Sport, said: “Milano Cortina was a spectacular Winter Paralympics; an unforgettable setting, standout debuts from ParalympicsGB athletes, Davy Zyw and Nina Sparks making history, and a fantastic silver for Neil Simpson and his guide Rob Poth. It’s brilliant to see our viewers embracing Paralympic sport on every platform. We’re proud to be the UK’s Paralympic broadcaster and, alongside Whisper, to produce accessible, up-close coverage of all the action and drama. And all delivered from the accessible TV facility at the Cymru Broadcast Centre in Cardiff.” 

In addition to Channel 4’s strong viewing figures, the International Paralympic Committee’s (IPC) digital channels enjoyed record breaking results during the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games with the performance of some channels surpassing not just the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games but the whole year of 2024. 

Across all @Paralympics channels, there were 648 million video views during 12 days of sporting competition, a staggering 3,144 per cent increase on the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games. The number of video views is also more than two times the 305 million views across IPC channels during the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games which featured more sports and more days of competition. 

The Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games were a record-breaking success with a record 611 Para athletes from 55 NPCs contesting 79 medal events.  For the fourth successive Paralympic Winter Games there were a record number 160 female athletes, 18 per cent more than Beijing 2022. 

Highlighting the growing strength of Paralympic winter sport, 27 NPCs won medals, the highest number ever. Eighteen NPCs won gold medals a joint record high, equalling the record set at PyeongChang 2018.