The final match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, hosted in the United States, set an all-time viewership record for a soccer telecast in the U.S. Spain's victory over Argentina, decided in extra time by a goal from Ferran Torres, captivated an average of more than 62 million viewers across Fox, Telemundo, and Peacock.
Fox alone reported an average of 38.937 million viewers, with a peak of 51.685 million, making it the most-watched World Cup final in the U.S. according to Nielsen Media Research. The Spanish-language broadcasts on Telemundo and Peacock contributed an additional 23.9 million viewers. This combined audience of 62.837 million viewers surpassed all previous soccer broadcasts in U.S. television history.
The record-setting viewership for the final also outdrew all NFL games from the 2025 season, with the exception of the Super Bowl. It notably surpassed the NFL regular-season record of 57.23 million viewers for the Chiefs-Cowboys Thanksgiving game and more than doubled the viewership of the 2025 college football championship game between Miami and Indiana, which had 30.1 million viewers.
Throughout the tournament, American viewership on Fox saw a significant increase, averaging 7.737 million viewers per match across the 104 games. This figure represents a 116 percent rise compared to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. The bronze final between England and France also set a record for a third-place match in the U.S., drawing 13.13 million viewers on Fox.
The final match remained goalless through 90 minutes of regulation time and into the first half of extra time before Ferran Torres scored in the 106th minute. The match was not without controversy, as Argentina received multiple yellow cards and had midfielder Enzo Fernandez sent off in the 93rd minute for a challenge on Pau Cubarsi.
Despite the U.S. Men's National Team being eliminated in the Round of 16, American interest in the tournament remained exceptionally high, culminating in these record-breaking viewership numbers for the final.