Cheltenham Festival attendances over the years

Are you interested in how many people attend Cheltenham Festival? Or perhaps just how many people tune in from home? Discover Cheltenham attendances, here.

Cheltenham Festival ranks among the most prestigious events on the UK horse racing calendar – drawing thousands upon thousands of fans to Prestbury Park each year and capturing the attention of hundreds of thousands more at home, whether that’s on the TV or through Cheltenham betting.

But just how many people travel to see the action unfold each year? We’ve dug into the data to reveal the attendance stats over the last few years.

For a more general overview, you may find our guide to Cheltenham Festival more useful, giving you all the information you need to know!

How many people attend Cheltenham Festival?

Over the last 10 editions where fans were admitted – 2021 was a ‘behind closed doors’ week – Cheltenham Festival has seen an average 249,777 fans walk through the turnstiles.

This peaked in 2022, with racing enthusiasts clearly desperate for a glimpse of in-person action after a year off, hoping to see some of the very best Cheltenham Festival winners. Meanwhile, the lowest attendances were actually recorded at 2025’s event, with 2026 seeing a slight increase in the number of spectators. 

Of course, with the next Cheltenham Festival set to be as exciting as ever, pitting some of the greatest jump horses of the modern age against one another, we can expect 2027 attendances to grow on 2026 numbers.

A breakdown of Cheltenham attendance by day

We’ve reviewed the Cheltenham records and stats to pull together attendances over the years, but what about a day-by-day breakdown?

Cheltenham day 1 attendances

Cheltenham day 1 crowds are treated to the first race of the festival week – the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle – which is always accompanied by the famous Cheltenham roar. The main event of the day, though, has to be the esteemed Champion Hurdle.

Cheltenham day 2 attendances

Crowds visiting Cheltenham for day 2 look especially forward to the Queen Mother Champion Chase and Champion Bumper – the latter of which is often a hotbed of new talent. While 2025 saw around 5,000 fewer attendees than the year before, 2026 figures saw the numbers jump back to around 46,000.

Cheltenham day 3 attendances

As we get into the second half of festival week, Cheltenham day 3 attendances have risen to over 55,000 after sitting closer to 53,000 for the two years prior. 

Cheltenham day 4 attendances

So, how many people attend the Cheltenham Gold Cup? Well, around 67,000 in 2026! This figure has remained steadily consistent for the last few years, with a similar number expected for the 2027 turnout. 

How many people watch the Cheltenham Festival at home?

Of course, not everyone can be fortunate enough to make it to Cheltenham to watch the drama unfold in person. Thankfully, many of the races are available to view in the comfort of your own home where there is no need to follow the Cheltenham Festival dress code.

After having a look at the audience data, it suggests that there are millions who tune in over the four days.

At its peak, a staggering 4.65 million people turned on the telly to watch Cheltenham Festival, while the whole four days averaged an audience of 775,000.

Naturally, many at home also enjoy an accompanying wager on their favourite horse – so why not get involved yourself and explore our guide to betting on the Cheltenham Festival? Alternatively, discover even more insights over on our Cheltenham blog.