Global TV shipments increased 8% YoY in April 2026, according to Counterpoint Research's Global Monthly TV Tracker, as brands and retailers extended channel inventory build-up ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 (June 11 – July 19, co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico). The pull-in effect broadened across most regions during the month, with sell-in — rather than final consumer demand — acting as the primary driver.

Global TV Shipment YoY Growth Rate by Regions in April 2026

In April 2026, TV shipments in North America, the World Cup host region, grew 10% YoY. Much of the region's inventory was loaded evenly across January to April, driven by World Cup positioning, and YTD April shipments are also up 10% YoY. MiniLED TVs remained the key battleground, with Samsung and Hisense launching competing new models across varying price bands to anchor their World Cup positioning.

In April 2026, China remained subdued, with shipments declining 15% YoY. The trade-in program continues in 2026, with TVs still eligible, but reduced front-quarter funding versus a year earlier and the pull-forward of demand from the prior subsidy cycle continued to weigh on domestic consumption.

Western Europe recorded the strongest regional increase at +48% YoY in April — the single biggest contributor to global growth in the month. The step-up was enabled by a combination of an unusually low base in the same month last year, a concentration of new-product launches by multiple brands ahead of the World Cup, and intensifying competition across the segment.

In Western Europe, Samsung remained the region's volume leader, holding the No. 1 brand position with a 27% share. The single largest increase among major brands, however, came from Xiaomi, whose shipments grew nearly 12x YoY and roughly 4x MoM. Xiaomi's share rose from 2% in April 2025 to 13% in April 2026.Importantly, this surge does not reflect broad-based growth for the brand: Xiaomi's global TV shipments actually declined 17% YoY over January–April 2026. The contrast suggests a redistribution of volume rather than expansion.

Amid the wider pivot by Chinese brands to redirect softening domestic volume toward overseas markets, Xiaomi stands out as the most pronounced case — shifting from a China domestic-led strategy toward an overseas-led one and building out new sales channels in Western Europe, concentrating its MiniLED push in a region where its prior-year base was minimal, which in turn amplified the year-on-year multiple.

This was driven primarily by the channel rollout of its refreshed TV S Mini LED 2026 lineup, which began shipping across European markets — including Germany, Spain, Italy and the Netherlands — from March, with channel-fill accelerating into April. Building on Xiaomi's existing Mini LED range, the 2026 series lifted regional sell-in well above prior-year levels and outpaced the regional average.

“Xiaomi appears to be following the same path as TCL and Hisense,” said Bob O’Brien, Research Director at Counterpoint Research. “The persistent weakness in the Chinese domestic market has led TV makers to look overseas for growth prospects, and in advance of the World Cup, Western Europe is an attractive market to target. Xiaomi already has a strong position in the smartphone market in Europe, and they can build on that brand recognition to challenge the market leaders there.”

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Counterpoint Research is a global market research firm specializing in products across the technology ecosystem. We advise a diverse range of clients – from smartphone OEMs to chipmakers and channel players to Big Tech – through our offices located in the world's major innovation hubs, manufacturing clusters and commercial centers. Our analyst team, led by seasoned experts, engages with stakeholders across the enterprise – from the C-suite to professionals in strategy, analyst relations (AR), market intelligence (MI), business intelligence (BI), product and marketing – to deliver services spanning market data, industry thought leadership and consulting. Our core areas of coverage include AI, Automotive, Consumer Electronics, Displays, eSIM, IoT, Location Platforms, Macroeconomics, Manufacturing, Networks and Infrastructure, Semiconductors, Smartphones and Wearables. Visit our Insights page to explore our publicly available market data, insights and thought leadership, and to understand our focus, meet our analysts and start a conversation. 

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