A method and apparatus for estimating a carrier frequency offset (CFO) in a Digital Radio Mondiale receiver is provided. Orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) demodulation is performed on a received DRM signal to produce OFDM symbols. A cell characteristic in corresponding cells in the OFDM symbols is compared and a carrier index of a frequency pilot cell in the cells is identified based upon the compared cell characteristic. The CFO is estimated based on the identified carrier index of the frequency pilot cell. The ratio of values of the cell characteristic in corresponding cells may be calculated and the frequency pilot cell identified by identifying cells for which the cell characteristic is most nearly equal. The CFO may be estimated by comparing the identified carrier index with an expected carrier index of a frequency pilot cell.