The U.S. men's national team victory over Paraguay drew nearly 16 million viewers on Fox Sports, making it the most-watched USMNT World Cup telecast in English-language history. The match aired Friday as the 2026 World Cup opened with record-breaking ratings across both English and Spanish-language broadcasts.
Telemundo reported that the Mexico versus South Africa match became the biggest Spanish-language World Cup telecast in history, though specific viewership numbers were not released. The dual ratings records signal strong early interest in the tournament, which is being co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
Fox Sports is broadcasting the English-language coverage of the World Cup, while Telemundo holds Spanish-language rights. The opening matches demonstrate heightened domestic interest in soccer as the tournament takes place on home soil for the first time since the United States hosted in 1994.
The U.S. team's opening victory provided an immediate boost to viewership expectations for the tournament. The American squad faces increased pressure and attention playing in front of home crowds throughout the competition. The previous English-language USMNT World Cup viewership record has now been surpassed just one match into the tournament.
The World Cup continues with group stage matches over the coming weeks. The U.S. team will play additional group matches as it seeks to advance to the knockout rounds, with each game expected to draw significant television audiences given the strong opening performance in the ratings.