World Cup final was a record-breaking ratings bonanza

The World Cup final was a victory for Fox as record numbers of viewers flocked to their TVs to watch Spain beat Argentina 1-0 at MetLife Stadium. 

The match drew 38.9 million viewers to Fox and made it the most-watched English-language soccer broadcast in United States history, with viewership reaching a peak of roughly 51.7 million people, according to Nielsen data released Tuesday. 

Fox carried all 104 matches in English during the length of the World Cup and saw strong numbers throughout the tournament, even after the U.S. was eliminated by Belgium in the Round of 16. 

Ferran Torres of Spain lifts the FIFA World Cup Winners Trophy after the team’s victory during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Final match between Spain and Argentina at New York New Jersey Stadium on July 19, 2026. Getty Images

The network averaged 7.73 million viewers over the course of the tournament with broadcasts airing on Fox, FS1 and Tubi. The ratings were a significant increase from the two previous World Cups in 2022, which saw an average of 3.588 million viewers, and 2018, which drew an average of 2.77 million. 

Spanish-language broadcaster Telemundo also set record ratings during the World Cup, drawing an audience of 23.9 million viewers for the final and making it the most-watched Spanish-language soccer broadcast in the U.S. 

The tournament’s ratings were helped by the exciting action that took place on the pitch during the World Cup and the stars that helped captivate American sports fans. 

Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé, Erling Haaland, Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham and Folarin Balogun became household names across the United States during the World Cup. 

France forward Kylian Mbappe (10) in action during a semifinal match between France and Spain in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The third-place match between England and France also drew strong ratings with American audiences, with Fox averaging 13.13 million viewers for the broadcast, including prematch coverage. 

Telemundo saw 7.7 million viewers for the third-place match, and both sets of ratings were new records for English- or Spanish-language broadcasts of a third-place World Cup match.