World Cup Viewership Hits Record Highs: Will Casual Soccer Viewing Continue?

World Cup breaking viewership records in English and Spanish

When Romelu Lukaku scored the last goal for Belgium in the 4-1 rout of the United States, you could practically hear the collective groan coming from USMNT fans, and the jubilation from Belgians.

The palpable nature of that moment was underscored by the sheer volume of people watching the game live on TV. This week, FOX Sports announced that more than 33 million fans watched that matchup — the “most-watched soccer telecast in U.S. history,” per the company. Viewership peaked at more than 41 million.

Days earlier, Telemundo and Peacock had their own record-breaking telecast. The Mexico-England game drew 23.2 million viewers across broadcast, digital, and mobile platforms. It was “the most-watched soccer match in total audience in Spanish-language media history,” the companies said.

It’s not surprising that a worldwide competition would get a massive number of fans tuning in. But these viewership numbers could have big implications for other soccer leagues around the world.

Casual fans could follow other soccer competitions after the World Cup

If history is an indicator, soccer leagues in the U.S. and Europe — and perhaps elsewhere — could benefit from the 2026 World Cup’s popularity.

Studies show that interest in international soccer competitions rises soon after a World Cup. For example, Copa América averaged just over 700,000 viewers in the U.S. in 2021, but that jumped to more than 1.6 million in 2024, per Nielsen data. The previous World Cup occurred in 2022.

The men’s UEFA Euro saw viewership increase from 1.2 million to 1.5 million between the same years.

It’s possible that viewership is up so much this year because the U.S. was a host country in 2026, along with Mexico and Canada. It remains to be seen what impact this World Cup will have on soccer fandom at large in the near future.

Nonetheless, fans getting more exposure to great players from other countries often translates into them wanting to keep up with those players later.

World Cup stars will continue their seasons on club teams

Many of the players who have stood out during the 2026 World Cup play for elite soccer clubs around the world. Generally, those clubs don’t get as much attention during the season, but this is the perfect time for curious fans to start getting familiar with them.

Erling Haaland of Norway plays for Manchester City, which competes in the Premier League. Kylian Mbappé of France is a forward for Real Madrid, a team in La Liga. Argentina’s Lionel Messi plays for MLS team Inter Miami CF. And there are many more.

Below is a breakdown of upcoming soccer leagues and what services fans can use to watch more of their new obsession.

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