Most-Watched Soccer Telecast in U.S. History
The World Cup fever hit an all-time high on Monday night as Fox’s coverage of the Belgium vs. US Men’s National Soccer Team match drew record-breaking ratings. With an average of 33,086,000 viewers tuning in, this became the most-watched soccer telecast in U.S. history, rivaling NFL-level numbers. In fact, it was the most-watched telecast on any network since Super Bowl LX earlier this year.
The match, which saw Belgium emerge victorious with a 4-1 win over the USMNT during the Round of 16 at Seattle Stadium, peaked in viewership between 9:15 and 9:30 p.m. ET, with an average of 41.03 million viewers. Top local markets that tuned in included Kansas City, Boston, Seattle, St. Louis, and Philadelphia.
Overall, Fox Sports reported an average of 14.465 million viewers for the Round of 16, making it the most-watched FIFA Men’s World Cup Round of 16 in English-language U.S. history. This marked a significant 216% increase from the 2022 Round of 16 average on Fox and FS1.
The 2026 World Cup has been a ratings juggernaut for both Fox Sports and Telemundo/Peacock, with Telemundo claiming the top spot as the No. 1 Spanish-language network during total day for 25 consecutive days. On July 5, Telemundo achieved its highest total day average audience in Spanish TV history, thanks to matches like Mexico vs. England and Brazil vs. Norway in the Round of 16.
The 39-day competition, which began on June 11, is scheduled to conclude on July 19. As the World Cup frenzy continues to captivate audiences across the globe, the excitement and viewership numbers are only expected to soar higher.
