Connected TV (CTV) now accounts for more than half (53%) of premium video ad views in Europe according to the latest Video Monetisation Report from FreeWheel.
The biannual report also reveals that total programmatic ad views across the region grew 44% year over year (YoY) in the first half of 2026 and that there was continued momentum for premium video advertising, with total ad views growing 20% YoY in Europe and 12% in the US.
Notably, CTV’s share of ad views in Europe has doubled since 2023, largely fuelled by European broadcasters’ efforts to integrate linear and digital inventory.
This momentum is also translating into growth in programmatic CTV ad views, up 9% YoY in Europe and 10% in the US, alongside an expanding buyer pool, with the number of unique advertisers adopting automated buying across both markets increasing by 25%.
European markets differ significantly, however, with France recording a 46% YoY increase in programmatic CTV ad views, now representing 47% of premium video delivery.
The report also states that in the first half of 2026, Europe experienced a major shift toward live programming. Live ad views in Europe rose from 25% in 2H 2025 to 32% in 1H 2026, spurred by a dense summer sports calendar and the strong co-viewing appeal of live events.
At the same time, addressable inventory is expanding in both regions as data availability and transparency improve.
More than half of bid requests now contain enriched data, with ‘Genre’ the most-used video field, appearing in 57% of enriched requests.
Targeted-audience ad views also grew 11% in Europe and 5% YoY in the US.
Additionally, the report highlights the power of premium video in driving engagement: average completion rates across pre-, mid-, and post-roll formats exceeded 90% across the three most popular CTV sub-devices.
As supply-chain automation and interoperability improve, the resulting efficiencies are helping enhance both the viewer experience and ad exposure.
FreeWheel is part of entertainment giant Comcast which also owns Sky and Universal.
Commenting on the report, Emmanuel Josserand, Sr. Director, Brand, Agency and Industry Relations at Comcast Advertising said: “We are seeing CTV and streaming opening up a bigger, more accessible opportunity for advertisers, bringing high-quality, high-impact inventory within reach through programmatic and enabling businesses of all sizes to compete.
“To unlock the full potential of this opportunity, European broadcasters must continue to evolve their streaming and programmatic strategies and build the scale, simplicity and flexibility needed to thrive in this high-speed and increasingly AI-driven media environment.”