Fox Sports set a viewership record with its World Cup opening match broadcast Thursday, as Mexico’s 2-0 victory over South Africa drew 6.3 million viewers across Fox, Fox One, and Tubi. The match marked the most-watched Men’s World Cup opening match in English-language U.S. television history.
The 6,309,000 viewers represented a dramatic leap from the 2022 tournament, when the average non-USMNT group stage match on Fox drew just 3.21 million viewers—making Thursday’s match a 97% increase over that baseline. Peak viewership spiked to just over 8 million viewers between 4:15 and 4:30 p.m. ET, according to preliminary Nielsen Fast Nationals and internal platform data.
The record extends across multiple metrics. Thursday’s match was not only the most-watched men’s opening match ever broadcast in English on U.S. television, but also the best audience for any non-USMNT group stage telecast in Men’s World Cup history. On Tubi specifically, the match became the most-streamed English-language opening match in FIFA World Cup history, reflecting Fox’s strategy to distribute the tournament across traditional broadcast, authenticated streaming on Fox One, and free ad-supported streaming on Tubi.
The strong performance came despite a compressed schedule. The match kicked off at 3 p.m. ET Thursday from Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, where Mexico co-hosted the 2026 tournament alongside the United States and Canada. The opening ceremony, featuring performances from Shakira, Burna Boy, J Balvin, and Andrea Bocelli, preceded the match and helped draw viewers to the broadcast.
Fox Sports had projected strong viewership heading into the tournament. In May, the network told investors it expected at least 15 million viewers for matches involving the U.S. Men’s National Team, signaling confidence in the expanded format. The 2026 tournament features 104 matches across 16 host cities—a record number of games—spread over 39 days from June 11 to July 19.
The opening match viewership sets the tone for what Fox hopes will be a ratings bonanza throughout the tournament. The final numbers will replace preliminary fast nationals once Nielsen completes full verification, but the early data already positions the 2026 World Cup as a major television event for the broadcaster.
Sources
- Deadline — confirmed 6.3 million viewers for Mexico-South Africa match, record for Men’s World Cup opening match in English-language U.S. history, 97% increase from 2022 non-USMNT average
- Barrett Media — reported 6,309,000 viewers, peak of 8,014,000 between 4:15-4:30 p.m. ET, most-watched opening match and non-USMNT group stage telecast ever
- Yahoo Sports — noted 97% increase over 2022 non-USMNT group stage average
- MediaPost — provided context that 2022 Fox averaged 5.1 million viewers across all 36 matches
