Even with a blowout result, the 2026 NCAA women’s national championship drew impressive TV ratings on ABC. UCLA’s win over South Carolina became the third most-watched women’s title game ever, ESPN announced.
An average of 9.9 million viewers tuned in on Easter Sunday as UCLA dominated South Carolina to win its first-ever national title. That includes a peak audience of 10.7 million and marks a 15% increase, year-over-year. The game sits only behind the 2023 and 2024 national title games as the third most-watched on ESPN.
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The NCAA women’s national championship game capped a strong run through the Final Four. South Carolina’s victory over UConn, which notably drew headlines for the events in the postgame handshake line, averaged 5.4 million viewers on April 3. The nightcap between UCLA and Texas averaged 5.0 million viewers, as well.
On the whole, it was the second most-watched women’s Final Four on ESPN networks with 6.7 million viewers for the three games, the company said. It didn’t quite reach the Caitlin Clark-fueled heights of 2024 when the games averaged 13.8 million viewers, including 18.9 million for the national championship between Iowa and South Carolina, but it was still quite a way to wrap up the 2025-26 season.
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The 2026 Final Four capped a strong run for women’s basketball this year. The NCAA Tournament capitalized on a regular-season viewership surge. TV ratings increased 19% from 2024-25, and ESPN networks had six of the Top 10 most-watched women’s basketball games of the year.
Of course, it’s important to note this was the first season since Nielsen introduced its Big Data + Panel metric, which has played a role in increased sports viewership. But ESPN’s increases likely are beyond the range for which Big Data would be the sole reason.
UCLA wins first national title
Gabriela Jaquez led UCLA with 21 points and 10 rebounds as the Bruins won their first-ever national championship. Lauren Betts also had had 14 points, 11 rebounds and two blocks as she became the NCAA women’s basketball tournament Most Outstanding Player.
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UCLA went into halftime with a 36-23 lead over South Carolina, but took total control in the third quarter. The Bruins outscored the Gamecocks 25-9 after halftime and eventually went on to get the 79-51 victory.
“We knew we had the tools,” Jaquez said after the game. “It was just about staying focused and working hard every day to be the best versions of ourselves.”
