Celine Dept Overtakes MrBeast as Most-Watched YouTuber
Belgian influencer Celine Dept has overtaken American YouTube megastar MrBeast to become the most-watched creator on the platform worldwide, according to VRT NWS. Her channel accumulated over 1.1 billion views in a single week in late June 2026, a historic milestone for a Belgian content creator on the global stage.
A Meteoric Rise
Dept, 26, launched her personal YouTube channel in May 2023 — just over three years ago — and has since grown it to 61.7 million subscribers. Her rapid ascent is fueled almost entirely by YouTube Shorts, the platform’s short-form video format. She now has 58 Shorts with over 100 million views each, with her most-viewed clip exceeding half a billion views.
Her content focuses on football (soccer), featuring collaborations with some of the world’s biggest stars, including Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappé, Gareth Bale, and Eden Hazard. The timing of her record coincides with the 2026 FIFA World Cup, currently being played across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, which has dramatically boosted global interest in football-related content.
The Secret to Her Success
Industry analysts point to Dept’s authentic, low-production approach as the key differentiator. Bavo Mortier, a digital creative at Sporza, noted in an in-depth profile that “she cleverly plays into the trends of the moment. She knows which videos can go viral and which feel familiar to a young audience.” Mortier added that “when she does it, it’s cool. When a football club or federation makes the same video, it often feels cringe.”
Thomas De Smet, a Ketnet wrapper and football fan, highlighted the universal appeal of her content: “There’s hardly any talking, so everyone can follow. Her content is short, flashy, and imaginative.” He also noted that Dept’s relaxed demeanor around football stars makes them feel at ease — a far cry from the intensity of traditional sports journalism.
A Belgian Digital Milestone
Dept’s achievement is particularly striking given Belgium’s size. With a population of just 11.5 million, the country has produced a creator who now rivals — and for the moment, surpasses — MrBeast, who commands 503 million subscribers and built his empire on high-production-value challenge videos.
This is not Dept’s first milestone. In September 2023, she became the first Belgian to reach 10 million YouTube subscribers. In 2024, she was the 10th most-viewed YouTube channel globally with 16 billion views, and the most-watched female YouTuber in the world, according to Tjitze.nl.
Business and Regulatory Landscape
Dept operates alongside her partner Michiel Callebaut through their company CDMC Works. The duo also runs the joint channel CEMI, which has 13.7 million subscribers. Their financial trajectory has been strong: net profits reached €841,740 in 2024, though they fell to €153,683 in 2025 after a restructuring that saw both creators establish separate management companies.
However, their success has not been without scrutiny. In December 2025, the Flemish media regulator (VRM) fined CEMI €5,000 for undisclosed product placement in children’s content, highlighting the regulatory challenges facing influencer-driven content aimed at young audiences.
What This Means for the Creator Economy
Dept’s rise signals a shift in the content landscape. MrBeast’s model relies on elaborate, big-budget productions. Dept’s success demonstrates that short-form, authentic content can compete with — and even surpass — these productions when paired with the right niche and timing.
Her access to top football stars also raises questions about the future of sports journalism. As noted by Sporza analysts, influencers who offer positive, uncritical coverage increasingly gain access that traditional journalists struggle to secure. Clubs and players, it seems, prefer the guaranteed positive exposure that comes with a Dept collaboration.
What’s Next
The key question is whether Dept can sustain this momentum after the 2026 World Cup concludes. Her underlying growth trajectory — from zero to 61.7 million subscribers in just over three years — suggests genuine staying power. But maintaining the number one spot in weekly viewership will require continued innovation and perhaps expansion beyond the football niche.
For now, a 26-year-old from Ostend, who once played football for Cercle Brugge, sits atop the YouTube charts. It is a moment of validation for Belgian digital creators and a sign that the rules of online content are being rewritten in real time.