As the World Cup enters its knockout stage, Fox Sports and Telemundo are emerging as major winners off the field, with both networks reporting record-breaking viewership numbers for the group stage. The tournament, co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, has drawn unprecedented American audiences, fueled by favorable time slots and growing soccer interest.
Telemundo announced that its World Cup viewership is “pacing at more than double” the 2022 Qatar tournament, with audience engagement at historic highs. Fox Sports reported that 84 million Americans have watched at least part of its coverage through June 25, according to Nielsen’s TV and streaming measurement system. Fox’s president for insights and analytics, Michael Mulvihill, noted that 9,722 fans have watched at least one minute of all 48 group-stage matches on Fox and FS1.
The surge is attributed to several factors: matches airing in prime-time Eastern hours (8 p.m. ET) rather than early morning slots, the tournament’s North American location raising awareness, and improved out-of-home audience measurement by Nielsen, which now captures viewers at bars and restaurants. The U.S. men’s national team’s performance has also driven interest, with the June 19 match against Australia averaging 16.2 million viewers and the June 25 match against Turkey averaging 15.8 million, despite the U.S. already securing a knockout spot.
President Donald Trump touted the ratings on Truth Social, calling them “far greater than any World Cup in History.” Fox’s $485 million investment for English-language broadcast rights is now seen as a bargain, with The New York Times estimating the rights could be worth three times that amount. As the knockout rounds continue, both networks expect even higher viewership, with the U.S. team playing in prime time on Wednesday night.
