The United States men's national team's World Cup match against England has set a new viewership record in the United States, becoming the most-watched soccer game in American history. The match, which took place on Friday, drew an average of 25.4 million viewers across English and Spanish language broadcasts, according to Fox Sports and Telemundo.
Record-Breaking Numbers
The previous record for a soccer match in the US was held by the 2015 Women's World Cup final, which attracted 25.4 million viewers. However, the USMNT match against England surpassed that figure, with a peak of 26.8 million viewers during the second half. The game aired on Fox, which averaged 19.8 million English-language viewers, and Telemundo, which drew 5.6 million Spanish-language viewers.
Historic Context
The match was highly anticipated due to the historic rivalry between the two nations and the high stakes in the World Cup group stage. The USMNT's performance, which ended in a 1-1 draw, also contributed to the high viewership. The game was the most-watched World Cup group stage match ever in the US, surpassing the previous record set by the 2014 match between the US and Portugal.
Impact and Implications
The record-breaking viewership underscores the growing popularity of soccer in the United States, particularly for the men's national team. According to Fox Sports, the match also set records for streaming, with 1.2 million streams on Fox's digital platforms. The high numbers are expected to boost interest in the upcoming knockout stages and the 2026 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the US, Canada, and Mexico.
