Which 15 Countries Have The Most Twitch Viewers?

Twitch viewers are remarkably diverse. But to what extent? Is there more to Twitch than North America and a handful of European countries?

The short answer is yes. A lot more.

But for most English-language speakers, Twitch starts and ends in ‘NA’. Our favorite streamers are typically from the US or Canada — and sometimes the UK. Aside from that, our exposure to the outside world of Twitch is very limited.

Occasionally, we may hear of a Spanish or French creator breaking some livestream record. But as far as we’re aware, the Twitch universe revolves around its North American fanbase.

Nothing could be farther from the truth.

In fact, NA represents just 35% of all Twitch viewers. Outside, there’s a whole world of diverse viewer-creator ecosystems. Countries like Brazil, Germany and Russia are secret streaming powerhouses. France, Turkey and Argentina are home to tens of millions of viewers.

Twitch has truly become a global phenomenon. But which countries lead the pack? Where can you find the most viewers?

Well, we’ve ranked them, one-by-one, guided by Amazon’s own internal data. Here are the top 15 countries by total Twitch viewers. The final list may surprise you.

#15. Japan – 4.1 Million

The land of anime and VTubers starts us out, home to 4.1 million unique viewers per month. Still, some may be surprised Japan isn’t further up the list. After all, the country is flush with content creators and gaming culture. What gives?

The short answer is competition. For one, YouTube is huge in Japan, and its star-studded creator cast draws a gigantic crowd. Then there’s Niconico, the country’s original (and enormous) livestreaming platform, home to millions of daily users. Against these two juggernauts, Twitch has faced an uphill battle.

Still, that doesn’t mean the Japanese Twitch scene is dead. Far from it. Everyday, more and more creators are leaving Niconico for Twitch—and bringing their audiences with them. Japan’s competitive FPS scene is blowing up on Twitch, especially Apex Legends and Valorant. Other popular games include Escape from Tarkov and fantasy RPG, Aion.

The country’s largest Twitch streamers include stylishnoob4 (602K followers) and fps_shaka (583K followers). While neither creators have behemoth communities—relative to top English-speaking streamers—they manage to attract huge audiences — averaging around 16,000 concurrent viewers each!

Japan’s Twitch stock is clearly on the rise. Don’t be surprised if the country leapfrogs its way higher up the charts next year, especially if Niconico continues to hemorrhage viewers.

#14. Australia – 4.1 Million

Up next, the “Land Down Under”. Australia boasts around 4.1 million monthly Twitch visitors. That’s a lot for a country with just 25 million people! What’s the deal?

In a nation traditionally dominated by YouTube, Twitch has been scoring some major wins lately. So much so that the number of Aussie Twitch streamers has increased by 350 percent in the past two years! That number only increased during the pandemic, as more creators and viewers turned to the platform for non-gaming content — like art, music and just chatting.

While many of Australia’s most famous streamers are on YouTube, some others are building enormous Twitch audiences. Largest of all is Loserfruit (2.6M followers). Part-variety and part-Fortnite creator, her streams cater to two categories that are in high demand among Australian viewers. Meanwhile, broadcasters like Crayator (728K followers) are growing rapidly and gaining international attention.

True, the Oceania region represents just 2% of global Twitch viewership. Nevertheless, Twitch sees Australia as a major base for its Asia-Pacific expansion. And it seems likely that Australian creators and viewers will reap those benefits in the years to come.

#13. Poland – 4.8 Million

We head to Eastern Europe for number 13. Poland is home to 4.8M monthly Twitch viewers.

Poland may be the “Land of Fields”, but it’s also the land of esports. The country has become a hotspot for rising young talent, especially within the amateur CS:GO scene. Meanwhile, the Polish city of Katowice has been dubbed as the World Esports Capital.

It’s no surprise then, that Polish Twitch streamers have embraced competitive gaming. League of Legends and Fortnite draw huge crowds, along with pro CS:GO contests. Some of the country’s biggest creators include IzakOOO (1.62M followers), EWROON (775K followers) and Popo (706K followers).

The Polish livestream audience is enormous—and young. Will that be enough to sustain Twitch’s growth in the country? We think so. Especially if new FPS titles like Valorant can catch on in the burgeoning Polish esports circuits.

#12. South Korea – 6.7 Million

Speaking of esports, we’re headed to world’s competitive gaming powerhouse, South Korea. The country slides in at #12 with 6.7M monthly Twitch viewers.

Much like in Japan, Twitch faces stiff competition here from Korean native platforms. In particular, AfreecaTV, which has dominated Korean live streaming for the past decade. While the platform is not gaming-exclusive, it hosts many of the country’s wildly-popular esports matches and tournaments. That makes it the preferred option for most creators and viewers.

However all that may be changing. While AfreecaTV used to command some 8 million monthly unique viewers, the platform has lost significant ground to Twitch in recent years. Many famous Korean streamers have already switched platforms, bringing their audience with them — and tapping into new English-speaking fans.

As for games, League of Legends is—unsurprisingly—king of Korean Twitch. Many of the nation’s largest Twitch creators—like Faker (3.47M followers) and Wolf (352K followers)—are professional League players themselves. Other popular titles include competitive StarCraft, PUBG and Hearthstone. Meanwhile, creators like Hanryang1125 (549K followers) and Han Dong-su (426K followers) are spearheading the Korean-speaking variety niche.

Will Twitch continue to siphon talent and viewers from AfreecaTV? If so, Korea may just become Twitch’s most important battleground in the battle for east Asia.

#11. Turkey – 7.5 Million

Up next, Turkey — one of Twitch’s more surprising bastions of support. The country is home to a whopping 7.5 million unique viewers.

For years, Turks had a love-hate relationship with Twitch. On the one hand, Twitch is wildly popular with young Turks — the country is rich with talented creators. On the other, Turkish viewers and streamers have often been sidelined by Twitch policymakers, with their complaints and wishes falling mostly upon deaf ears.

But all that seems to be changing recently. Amazon Prime was introduced to Turkey in late 2020, bringing with it Prime Subs. And in 2021 Twitch lowered the price of Turkish subscriptions to TL 9.90 (or roughly 1.18 USD). Combined together, these two moves have reinvigorated Turkey’s sub culture, giving viewers new ways to support their favorite creators.

And that’s good news, because Turkish esports are exploding in popularity. Competitive titles like Valorant dominate the local Twitch scene, fueled by the success of teams like BBL Esports. Top Turkish streamers like wtcN (2.46M followers) and Elraenn (2.38M followers) rack up enormous view counts.

The Turkish audience has enormous potential. If Twitch can continue winning over the local audience, the country may just become a livestreaming powerhouse.

#10. Italy – 8.3 Million

Up next is Italy, coming in at 8.3 million viewers. A newcomer to the streaming and gaming scene, the country has seen a massive surge in Twitch users lately. But why?

The global pandemic hit Italy particularly hard. In response, Italians turned to live content in huge numbers. All that attention gave rise to new sponsors, international investment and some powerhouse Italian creators. Streamers like POW3Rtv (1.64M followers), Moonryde (485K followers) and DarioMoccia (275K followers) have exploded in popularity.

As it stands, Italy has skyrocketed up to #5 on the European viewership charts, catching up to livestreaming powerhouse — Spain.

The popular games are pretty standard; Call of Duty (COD) Warzone, GTA Roleplay, League of Legends and Fortnite being top picks. But more and more, Italian creators are venturing into non-traditional content like podcasts, IRL and just chatting. Esports popularity too is rising, as Italian teams look to follow the example of competitive powerhouses, France and Germany.

At the moment, Twitch reigns supreme over the Italian streaming landscape. Rival YouTube has certainly gained a foothold on the peninsula, but it has yet to make much of an impact. For now, Italy is Twitch’s to win or lose.

#9. Mexico – 9.2 Million

And then there’s Mexico, coming in at 9.2 million unique viewers. The country is a linchpin of Twitch’s Latin American operations, and for good reason. The Mexican audience is rapidly growing and hungry for livestream content.

But competition is fierce. Facebook Gaming has made significant inroads with Mexican creators. Unlike their northern neighbors, Mexicans generally prefer Facebook—instead of YouTube—as their counter to Twitch.

Still, Twitch has a significant lead in the Mexican race. And that lead only widened when Twitch announced localized sub pricing for Mexico. As of 2021, subscriptions there are priced at just 48 pesos, or roughly $2.40. That means more ways for Mexicans to support their favorite creators (Prime Subs were first introduced in 2017). And that means more money for native creators!

In Mexico, FPS titles reign supreme, particularly Warzone, Valorant, Apex Legends and Fortnite. Meanwhile, the Mexican esports market—valued at over 1 billion dollars—is exploding in popularity. In fact, the country has the second-most esports enthusiasts in Latin America, only behind Brazil.

It’s no surprise, then, that Mexico has produced some of the Latino world’s biggest streaming superstars. These include JuanSGuarnizo (4.8M followers), elded (4.3M followers) and ALK4PON3 (982K followers). Their meteoric rise continues to draw new crowds and sponsors.

#8. Argentina – 10 Million

We head south for #8 on our list, Argentina. The country commands a massive 10 million viewers, the second-largest Twitch audience in all of Latin America. What’s attracting all those Argentinian eyes?

Well, a number of star-studded creators, for starters. Home-grown streamers like Coscu (3M followers) and Frankaster (957K followers) are leading the charge, winning over Argentinian viewers in the tens of thousands. Even legendary footballer Sergio Agüero (3.3M followers) has gotten in on the action, becoming one of the fastest growing channels in history!

Much of the popularity is due to the rise of Argentinian esports and competitive gaming. Led by orgs like Isurus Gaming and 9z, Argentinian teams are challenging the region for dominance. Some of the country’s biggest sports clubs—like River Plate and Boca Juniors—have even announced their entry to the industry.

While CS:GO will always be king of Argentinian esports, the streaming scene is more varied. IRL/just chatting usually tops the Twitch charts, followed by GTA Roleplay, League of Legends and FPS titles like Apex Legends and Valorant.

Luckily for Twitch, the platform wars have yet to reach Buenos Aires. The only real challenger comes from newcomer, Trovo, owned by Chinese behemoth Tencent. The platform has reportedly been trying to lure away Argentinian Twitch streamers, to limited effect.

Will Argentina continue to be one of Twitch’s strongest bases of support? Likely so, considering the 2021 announcement that Argentinian sub prices would be lowered 60%, to about 1.99 USD — a huge bonus for local viewers and creators.

#7. Russia – 10.5 Million

Surprised to see Russia so high up this list? You’re not alone. For years, the Russian livestream scene has flown below-the-radar; disregarded as a mystery. But all that is changing. The Russian community is alive and vibrant, accounting for over 10.5 million Twitch viewers each month.

And it’s continuing to grow rapidly.

Russian Twitch saw a huge rally during the pandemic, skyrocketing some of its top creators. Buster (2M followers) took the top spot as Russia’s most dynamic—and popular—streamer. Close contender Evelone (1.5M followers) continues to draw hundreds of thousands of viewers, despite a lengthy ban throughout much of 2021.

But Twitch isn’t the only platform growing in Russia. YouTube too is a top choice for Russian creators. Part of that is due to the Russian government’s ban of Twitch in 2018. The ban was eventually overturned, but only after an exodus of streamers to rival YouTube.

As with much of the Slavic region, CS:GO remains the top title for Russian Twitch streamers, followed closely by Dota 2—a long-time staple of Russian gaming. Just chatting/IRL content follows closely behind, along with FPS titles like Valorant and Fortnite.

Russia’s Twitch resurgence shows no signs of slowing down. But will the growth continue, or will government interference grind it to a halt?

#6. Spain – 10.5 Million

Quiz time. What streamer holds the world record for the most concurrent Twitch viewers? If your answer wasn’t top Spanish creator, TheGrefg (7.9M followers), you’d be wrong.

We wouldn’t blame you either. For most of us, the record-shattering event in early 2021 was our first exposure to Spain’s thriving Twitch ecosystem. Peek under the hood and you’ll find a community that’s thriving, to the tune of 10.5 million viewers.

Imagine this. Spanish creator Ibai (7.3M followers) has a larger audience than TimTheTatman, NICKMERCS and Summit1g. Fellow Spain natives Rubius (9.7M) and AuronPlay (9.6M) have more followers than creators like Shroud, xQc and Pokimane. In fact, of the 10 most-followed Twitch channels in the world, a whopping four of them are from Spain!

Spain’s streamers take variety content to the next level. You’ll find everything from Fall Guys to UNO to Rust to IRL boxing events and more. Few countries have as creative and varied a talent pool as Spain, if any.

Meanwhile, Spain’s esports scene is booming — much thanks to innovative orgs like the LVP, excellent infrastructure and massive investment. The core of Spanish esports lies in Rocket League, CS:GO, Hearthstone and League of Legends. This competitive gaming craze has spilled over to Twitch in a big way.

The day may come when Spain challenges the rest of Europe — to take the crown as Twitch’s largest base of support in the region. But first, they’ll have to take down the region’s traditional powerhouses.

#5. France – 11.3 Million

Just across the border, French Twitch is booming. With one of the most dynamic livestream economies in the world, French viewers are pouring in. To the tune of 11.3 million monthly viewers.

Like in Spain, YouTube is a major player in the French creator market. But there’s no question, Twitch dominates the local streaming scene. And it’s easy to see why.

Unlike Spain, France doesn’t rely on a handful of superstar creators. In fact, few of the top French channels can claim over one million followers. Take, for example, streamers like Gotaga (3.1M followers), Kamet0 (916K followers) and JLTomy (735K followers), none of whom command massive audiences but top the French charts. Now compare that to Spain’s biggest creators, who regularly top out over 7 million followers. Instead, the French audience is spread over a vast, diverse collection of content genres and niches.

What’s more revealing, France’s Twitch community is remarkably close-knit. Viewers are often treated to cameos and collabs between their favorite streamers. And then there’s the Z Event, a legendary, annual charity livestream that brings together an all-star cast of French creators. Just last year, the event raised a record-breaking five million euros—roughly $5.8 million—and brought in over 2.5 million viewers!

Meanwhile, French esports are one of the region’s strongest — led by innovative orgs like Team Vitality, Karmine Corp and Solary. The nation’s top League of Legends division, the LFL, continues to break viewership records on Twitch. Powerhouse French squads continue to contend in CS:GO, Call of Duty, Rocket League and—more recently—Trackmania competitions.

There’s no doubt France is the perfect storm of talented creators, captivated viewers and esports pedigree. But do the French have what it takes to climb to the #4 spot?

#4. United Kingdom – 13.4 Million

For such a small archipelago, the UK sure does have a lot of Twitch viewers. 13.4 million to be exact. And that’s shocking considering most Americans and Canadians have little exposure to British streamers.

The fact is, Brits are more likely to watch Twitch or YouTube streams than nearly anywhere else on earth. Some of the country’s top creators include Minecraft superstar TommyInnit (6.4M followers), FaZe Clan’s Fortnite phenom Mongraal (4.8M followers) and COD legend Syndicate (3.1M followers).

Much like in the US, UK streamers are likely to divide content between Twitch and YouTube. Some of the country’s biggest creators mix YouTube VODs with Twitch livestreams. And that’s smart, because the UK has one of YouTube’s largest audiences in the world.

British esports lag behind regional competitors like Germany and France, as the industry has struggled to attract investment. Despite the lack of institutional support, British teams continue to be some of the world’s best. Orgs like Endpoint, Dignitas, Excel, Fnatic and Misfits Gaming are top contenders at international competitions.

#3. Germany – 16.8 Million

Deutschland cruises into the #3 spot, taking the top position in Europe. And there really isn’t any competition. Germany’s large population, creator pool and esports prowess make it a natural Twitch powerhouse — even if local government interference can prove a nightmare.

So who are Germany’s top creators? The undisputed vanguard of German Twitch is MontanaBlack (4M followers), followed by top streamers Trymacs (2.7M followers) and Knossi (1.7M). Notably, both MontanaBlack and Trymacs have at times been the most-subscribed-to creators on the platform, worldwide.

At times, however, these creators have faced stiff resistance from the Berlin government. In 2021, new regulations decreed that any streamer with over 20,000 concurrent viewers must qualify for a broadcasting license. This meant a raise in taxes, an almost €10,000 annual fee and the restriction of mature-rated games to late-night broadcasts only. The situation got so bad that MontanaBlack even considered leaving Germany for the island nation of Malta.

Meanwhile, viewers still can’t watch German VODs or clips due to the country’s NetzDG law, designed to limit hate speech and fake news.

One sector receiving plenty of government support however, is German esports. Germany remains the fastest-growing and largest esports hub in Europe, easily lapping competitors in France and the UK. Top German teams like G2 Esports and SK Gaming—as well as local tournaments like ESL One Cologne—drive hordes of competitive gamers onto Twitch.

#2. Brazil – 16.9 Million

That’s right. Brazil has the most Twitch viewers in the world, outside of the United States. The Portuguese powerhouse is home to 16.9 million unique viewers. How do they do it? Well, a combination of talented creators, mobile gaming, esports pedigree and a love of FPS titles.

It’s no secret that Brazilians love CS:GO. It is far and away the most popular title on Brazilian Twitch, led by CS:GO legend—and fan favorite—Gaules (2.9M followers). In fact, Gaules’ CS:GO tournament casts are so popular, they often have more viewers than the official channels!

League of Legends is another staple of Brazilian gaming. Many top League players hail from Brazil, including former-pro-turned-variety-streamer, YoDa (2.1M followers). Others like Jukes (1.6M followers) split their time between pro esports play and Twitch streams.

But the secret to Brazil’s success may lie in mobile gaming. Due to socioeconomic conditions, Brazilians are far more likely to watch Twitch—and play games—from mobile devices versus PC. That helps to explain the meteoric rise of mobile game, Garena Free Fire. The free-to-play battle royale is so popular, in fact, that it recently agreed to a two-year sponsorship with Brazil’s national football teams. Top Brazilian creator, Nobru (3.5M followers), streams Free Fire almost exclusively.

And then there’s LOUD, Latin America’s most popular esports org. Brazilians pour in by the millions to watch LOUD content, primarily focused on mobile gaming and Free Fire. Twitch took notice, and in 2020 LOUD signed an exclusivity deal with the platform, skyrocketing viewership across the country.

The king of Brazilian Twitch however, is variety-streamer Alanzoka (5.3M followers). Like most Brazilian streamers, he got his start on YouTube — a platform that remains wildly popular in Brazil.

#1. US & Canada – 93 Million

As expected, US and Canada take the crown, and by a landslide. Together, they account for about 36% of global Twitch viewership. In this case, we’ve combined both countries — considering their streaming cultures are so similar.

Of the two, Canada is technically the junior partner, home to around 10.5 million unique viewers. But Canadian streamers are a force to be reckoned with. In fact, some of the top English-speaking Twitch creators are actually Canadian citizens. That includes xQc (9.2M followers), Shroud (9.5M followers) and Pokimane (8.2M followers), all of whom are among the top 10 most-followed Twitch channels. Clearly, the strength of Canada’s streaming culture is disproportionate to its size.

Canada also holds its own on the esports stage. While the country lacks serious esports infrastructure and investment, cities like Toronto and Vancouver have quietly become competitive gaming hubs. Teams like Luminosity Gaming are leading the charge, even if the industry has a long way to go to challenge its larger, American neighbor. Still, the gradual transformation of Canadian esports is driving a new generation of gamers onto Twitch, as well as competitor YouTube Gaming.

What about Asia?

One region notably underrepresented from this list is Asia. Why hasn’t Twitch dominated the East Asian market, like it has in Europe and Latin America? Why is viewership so low in countries like China, Japan and South Korea?

Well, for the most part, the answer is competition. Local livestreaming platforms—like Japan’s Ninonico or South Korea’s AfreecaTV—have enormous fanbases. In China, powerhouse streaming platforms Huya and Douyu hold a near monopoly on the industry.

Meanwhile, in South Asia, YouTube Gaming dominates the Indian livestreaming market.

If Twitch can make inroads in these regions, don’t be surprised to see several Asian countries skyrocket up this list. That process may have already begun in Japan and Korea.

For the time being however, the Twitch takeover of Europe and Latin America is just getting started. Will one of these regions challenge the platform’s traditional North American dominance? Only time will tell.