The 2026 World Cup final drew a record-breaking television audience in the United States. Fox averaged 38.9 million viewers for the championship match, while Telemundo averaged 23 million. Both numbers are the highest ever for a soccer broadcast in the country.
Fox's 38.9 million
Fox's English-language broadcast set a new standard. The 38.9 million average viewers tops any previous soccer game on US television. The network had the exclusive English-language rights to the tournament. The final was the most-watched soccer event in Fox's history.
Telemundo's 23 million
Telemundo, the Spanish-language broadcaster, also broke its own record. The 23 million average viewers is the largest audience for a soccer broadcast on Spanish-language TV in the US. The network has long been a destination for soccer fans, and the 2026 final delivered its biggest audience yet.
A combined milestone
Together, the two networks drew nearly 62 million average viewers. That combined figure is also a record for a soccer broadcast in the US. The audience shows the broad appeal of the World Cup final across English and Spanish-speaking viewers.
What the record means
The record viewership comes as soccer continues to grow in the United States. The numbers confirm that soccer can draw a mass audience in the US. The 2026 World Cup final now holds the record for the most-watched soccer broadcast in US history. Future World Cups will have a high bar to clear.
