World Cup final draws record 63 million U.S. viewers
Nearly 63 million people in the United States watched Spain defeat Argentina in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final, setting a new national viewership record and highlighting football's growing popularity in the country, reports a Qazinform News Agency correspondent.
The final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey remained scoreless until Spain netted the decisive goal in the 106th minute of extra time to secure a 1-0 victory.
According to broadcasters, Fox's English-language coverage attracted 38.9 million viewers, while Telemundo and Peacock drew a combined 23.9 million viewers for Spanish-language coverage, bringing the total audience to 62.8 million. The figure far surpassed the 22.3 million U.S. viewers who watched the 2022 FIFA World Cup final.
The tournament also delivered strong ratings throughout the knockout stage. The Round of 16 match between England and Mexico attracted nearly 45 million viewers, outperforming recent championship broadcasts in Major League Baseball and the NBA.
Although the World Cup final audience remained below the approximately 126 million viewers who watched Super Bowl LX, it marked a major milestone for a sport that has traditionally lagged behind American football, basketball and baseball in the United States.
The tournament benefited from prime-time kickoff slots for U.S. audiences as well as the presence of global stars, including Argentina's Lionel Messi and Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo, in what could be their final FIFA World Cup appearances.
The next FIFA World Cup will be co-hosted by Spain, Portugal and Morocco in 2030, followed by Saudi Arabia in 2034, with less favorable broadcast times expected for North American audiences.
Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that FIFA expected revenue for the 2023 to 2026 cycle to exceed $15 billion following the commercial success of the 2026 FIFA World Cup hosted by Canada, Mexico and the United States.
