England-Mexico Draws Record 44.8M Viewers In United States

The World Cup match between England and Mexico has surpassed the United States' game against Belgium to become the most-watched soccer telecast in U.S. history, according to preliminary Nielsen figures. More than 44 million viewers tuned into Sunday's matchup across both networks, with 23.2 million watching on Telemundo and 21.742 million on Fox. The combined total of 44.8 million exceeds the roughly 42 million who watched the U.S.-Belgium game one night later. The Fox broadcast became the most-watched English-language World Cup telecast in U.S. history not involving the USMNT. Telemundo's audience set a new record for Spanish-language soccer coverage in the country. Fox's viewership peaked at 25.715 million near the match's conclusion, as England held on with 10 men to secure a dramatic win over Mexico at the Azteca Stadium. Nielsen's final figures are expected to rise further once complete data is compiled for both Sunday's and Monday's broadcasts. The atmosphere inside Azteca Stadium matched the tournament's most intense environments. England's sizable American fanbase paired with Mexico's significantly larger following to produce the record viewership. The round of 16 matchup carried extra weight given Mexico's historic success at that venue. Four quarterfinal matches remain on the schedule, though none are expected to match Sunday's viewership given their earlier broadcast windows. France faces Morocco on Thursday, followed by Spain against Belgium on Friday. Saturday's doubleheader features Norway against England, followed by defending champion Argentina against Switzerland. That slate, featuring stars including Erling Haaland, Harry Kane and Lionel Messi, holds the strongest chance of drawing the tournament's next major audience. The two semifinals next week will air at 3:00 PM ET on Tuesday and Wednesday, which will mean lower viewership in the United States regardless of the matchups. The final will be played on Sunday, July 19th at 3:00 PM ET with a rematch of 2022 featuring France and Argentina likely the matchup that would generate the biggest possible audience in the United States.