​Our Monday night World Cup telecast featuring the United States versus Belgium drew what many assumed would be record-breaking television ratings for a soccer match in the United States. Yet new data revealed that a different game, played a day earlier and not involving the U.S., captured a larger U.S. audience. On Wednesday, Fox Sports released the breakdown for Mexico vs. England, staged in Mexico City on Sunday. According to the network, England’s dramatic 3-2 victory attracted 21,742,000 viewers on Fox, and when combined with Telemundo’s 23.1 million U.S. viewers, the total climbs to roughly 44.8 million. This figure eclipses the roughly 42 million Americans who tuned in Monday to watch Belgium’s 4-1 win over the United States across Fox, Telemundo, and Peacock, signaling a new, broader peak in soccer viewership within the United States.
The combined audience for Mexico-England represents a new high for a soccer match in the U.S. and rivals the viewership numbers typically achieved by NFL playoff games. In fact, Pro Football Talk noted that last season’s NFC and AFC Championship games averaged about 47.4 million viewers, underscoring how soccer is now competing with football for the attention of a broad audience. The surge in numbers underscores the enduring appeal of this year’s World Cup, which is being staged across multiple North American venues, and it’s a testament to the event’s growing footprint on the U.S. television landscape. It’s also important to note that these tallies do not capture the estimated 60 million viewers worldwide who watched England versus Mexico, including substantial audiences in Mexico and other countries, further underscoring the global reach of this tournament.
The U.S.-Belgium match remains notable for the strong early interest it generated. Before kickoff on Monday night, interest in U.S. soccer surged, and the early enthusiasm suggested a potential record. Unfortunately, Belgium seized early control and maintained it throughout, resulting in a disappointing exit for the U.S. host team. For U.S. fans and neutral observers, the game proved a tough watch as the pace and frame of the match shifted, and a large portion of the audience likely tuned out as the match progressed.
In contrast, Mexico-England proved to be a closely watched, edge-of-seat affair from start to finish. With England playing a man down for a portion of the match, England’s resilience and eventual victory in front of a riled Mexico City crowd added to the drama and, in turn, to the extraordinary ratings. The performance by both teams on Sunday created a compelling narrative for fans in North America and around the world, helping to drive substantial viewership numbers that many in the industry will highlight when discussing the World Cup’s media impact.
Taken together, these ratings paint a picture of a World Cup that is resonating far beyond traditional soccer markets in the United States. The higher-than-expected numbers for England-Mexico, combined with the strong performance of the U.S.-Belgium broadcast, illustrate soccer’s expanding footprint in a country that has historically prioritized football and basketball in the ratings race. The tournament’s momentum is evident in the size of the audiences, and analysts will be poring over these numbers as they assess the sport’s trajectory in the U.S. market and the broader global appeal of this year’s World Cup, particularly as fans continue to stream, simulcast, and watch on multiple platforms across Fox, Telemundo, and Peacock.