Johannesburg – China has recorded the single largest television audience for a World Cup match in the first two days of the tournament, world football governing body FIFA said on Monday.

"The highest confirmed in-home audience of the opening two days was achieved in China, where an average of nearly 24 million viewers watched the CCTV5 coverage of Greece v Korea Republic," FIFA said in a statement.

The hosts reported a record 10 million television viewers for the opening match with Mexico on Friday, according to local broadcasters.

In Mexico an average of nearly 19% of the population with access to television watched coverage of the opening game, according to FIFA.

The World Cup started June 11 and will finish July 11, when the final is expected to be one of the world's most-watched television events.

Copyright News24.com. Reprinting is not allowed without express, written permission.