The US men's national team's dramatic victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina in the World Cup on Wednesday attracted a record television audience, according to preliminary data from Fox Sports and Telemundo. The match averaged 24.429 million viewers on Fox, making it the most-watched English-language soccer broadcast in US history, with a peak of 31.883 million. Telemundo, holding Spanish-language rights, reported 9.1 million viewers over the total game window.
Total Audience Exceeds 33 Million
While full Nielsen figures won't be released until Monday, the combined total of over 33 million viewers places Wednesday's game among the most-watched US television events of the year. According to Sportico, only 12 telecasts surpassed the 33-million mark in the US last year, including seven NFL playoff games, the Super Bowl, and the State of the Union address.
Outpacing Major Sports Finals
The audience dwarfs other major sports events. This year's NBA Finals between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs averaged 20.5 million viewers, with Game 5 averaging 24.5 million and peaking at 33 million. The final game of last year's World Series averaged 27.3 million viewers in the US, while NFL Sunday Night Football averaged 23.5 million last season.
Unprecedented Growth for US Soccer
Such numbers would have been unfathomable for US soccer in the past. The 2022 World Cup final between Argentina and France drew 25.8 million viewers across Fox and Telemundo. The US's most-watched game at that tournament, a group-stage draw with England, had 19.9 million viewers, while their last-16 game against the Netherlands drew 16.5 million.
Factors Driving Record Viewership
This World Cup has seen record US television audiences, attributed to the North American location, star power, and time-zone-friendly kick-offs. Fox's group stage coverage was the most-watched in English-language US history, with the USMNT's opener against Paraguay leading at 18.039 million average viewers. The last-32 match between the Netherlands and Morocco on Monday set a record for the most-watched English-language World Cup game not featuring the US or a final, with 10.020 million average viewers.
Next Match Poised to Challenge Record
The USMNT's last-16 matchup against Belgium next Monday night in Seattle is expected to challenge for another record audience.
