World Cup final clears 60 million U.S. viewers
Fox and Telemundo reported a combined U.S. audience above 60 million for Spain’s 1-0 win over Argentina in the World Cup final.
By Georgia Hale · Staff Writer
2 min read
Spain’s 1-0 victory over Argentina in the World Cup final drew more than 60 million viewers in the United States across English- and Spanish-language broadcasts, according to figures reported by Fox and Telemundo.
Fox said Tuesday that its English-language coverage of the July 19 final averaged 38.937 million viewers and reached a peak of 51.685 million, with Nielsen Media Research figures making it the most-watched English-language soccer telecast in U.S. history.
Telemundo, citing preliminary numbers for its Spanish-language broadcast, said the match had a total audience of 22.6 million. Together, the two broadcasters put the U.S. audience above 60 million for the tournament’s closing match.
The final capped a nearly six-week World Cup staged across the United States, Canada and Mexico. The expanded tournament featured 48 teams, 104 games and matches in 16 stadiums, making it the largest field in World Cup history.
Fox carried all 104 matches in English across Fox, FS1 and Tubi. The network said it averaged 7.737 million viewers for those broadcasts, a sharp rise from 3.588 million in 2022 and 2.77 million in 2018.
American interest held up even after the United States was knocked out by Belgium in the round of 16, according to the reported TV numbers. Spanish-language coverage on Telemundo also drew major audiences during the tournament.
The final’s reported audience comes with one measurement wrinkle: Nielsen figures can struggle to capture every viewer for games watched in bars, public events and other group settings. Nielsen expanded its out-of-home measurement system in 2025 in an effort to count more of that audience.
Attendance was also strong across the three host nations, despite some early issues and high ticket prices. Most matches were played in front of packed stadiums, according to the report.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino praised the hosts on Sunday and said the tournament had drawn record crowds in person.
“We have had a record number of spectators in the stadiums, almost 7 million,” Infantino said. “We will have had, I mean the official figures will come out soon, but probably over 6 billion people watching it from home.”
The Associated Press contributed information to ESPN’s report.
This story draws on original reporting from ESPN.com.