Record viewers for Women's World Cup

A record number of viewers have tuned in for the Women's World Cup currently underway in six cities across Canada, organisers Fifa said on Wednesday.

Over 1.8 million Canadians watched the host nation beat China thanks to a dramatic last-gasp penalty from captain Christine Sinclair on the opening day of the competition on Saturday.

"That was the biggest television audience in Canada for any Fifa Women's World Cup match on record," Fifa said.

In China, 2.3 million people watched their team's defeat, surpassing the highest live group stage audience of 1.3 million in the 2011 tournament for which the Chinese did not qualify.

United States broadcaster Fox Sports 1 attracted 3.3 million viewers as the former two-time winners beat Australia 3-1, more than three times higher than Team USA's first group stage match in 2011.

In Japan 4.2 million people watched the defending champions' match against Switzerland, more than the number of viewers that watched Japan's semifinal match against Sweden in 2011.

England’s opener against France drew 1.5 million viewers to BBC2, while a similar number of viewers watched the match in France on W9.

Tournament newcomers the Netherlands were watched by 1.0 million at home as they scored their first World Cup win over New Zealand.