SAINT-DENIS, France (AP) – The Latest from the European Championship (all times local):
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2:05 p.m.
UEFA expects a global audience of 300 million television viewers for the European Championship final.
The predicted figure for the France vs. Portugal game is an industry-standard audit for in-home viewers averaged throughout the match.
For the 2014 World Cup final, FIFA reported an “average in-home global audience” of 570.1 million for Germany’s 1-0 win over Argentina.
The Euro 2012 final drew a global average of 299 million for Spain’s 4-0 win over Italy.
UEFA says Euro 2016 figures are up on four years ago. The 200 million TV audience for France vs. Romania in the opening match rose 30 percent above the Poland vs. Greece opener at Euro 2012.
UEFA believes 2 billion different viewers are among a cumulative live audience of more than 6 billion for the 51-match tournament.
More than 130 broadcast partners have paid UEFA 1.05 billion euros ($1.16 billion) for rights to screen Euro 2016.
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11:40 a.m.
France puts its formidable record in finals on the line when the European Championship hosts try to deny Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal a first major football title on Sunday.
French players have lifted the trophy in three of four finals over 32 years: Euro ’84 and the 1998 World Cup on home soil, as well as Euro 2000.
Now a nation still scarred by last year’s terror attacks will seek sporting salvation from its football heroes and a chance to party again in the streets of Paris, where security has been intense during the tournament.
“They are, in my opinion, favorites because they are playing at home and that’s a big advantage,” Ronaldo said. “The whole country is going to support them, but … we’re going to be difficult to beat.”