The PUBG Nations Cup 2024, held in Seoul, South Korea from September 6th to 8th, attracted a peak viewership of 404,725, making it the third-most-watched event in the game’s esports history. According to data from Esports Charts, the tournament also drew an average of 183,400 viewers and accumulated nearly 2.8 million watch hours over its 15-hour duration.
This year’s Nations Cup saw 16 national teams compete for a prize pool of $300,000 (~£229,000), with South Korea emerging as the champion for the second year in a row. The Grand Final, in which South Korea triumphed over runner-up United States, was the most-watched match of the entire event.
Compared to the 2023 edition, the 2024 tournament significantly boosted its audience, recording around 140,000 more peak viewers. This makes it the second-most popular PUBG Nations Cup in history, surpassed only by the 2019 event, which peaked at 492,700 viewers.
Interestingly, the Vietnamese broadcast had the largest share of peak viewers at 146,550, followed by the Korean stream with 102,034 and the Thai broadcast with 72,269. Most viewers tuned in via YouTube, which recorded a peak of 210,326 viewers. Other platforms like Twitch and Afreeca TV saw smaller peaks, with 70,464 and 45,356 viewers, respectively.
With the conclusion of the Nations Cup, the next big event on the PUBG competitive calendar is the PUBG Global Championship, which will take place in Kuala Lumpur starting December 9th. The championship, featuring a $1.5m (~£1.1m) prize pool, will cap off a thrilling year of PUBG esports. Last year’s edition attracted major sponsors such as AndaSeat and MSI, and this year is expected to follow suit.
