Fox sees World Cup coverage as major opportunity for viewership growth
Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Jun 20, 2026, 3:40 PM
Last updated Jun 20, 2026
Fox Sports paid $485 million for the English-language World Cup broadcast rights in America. The network anticipates significant viewership increase, projecting around 150 million will watch the event, which is comparable to NFL audiences. Ratings have surged due to improved out-of-home viewing metrics. Fox Sports president of insights and analytics Mike Mulvihill emphasized the importance of accurately capturing diverse viewing settings, like fan fests and bars. The economic impact of this broadcast deal may influence future negotiations with FIFA.
- •Fox's World Cup investment could be its best-ever.
- •Projections estimate 150 million viewers for the World Cup.
- •Nielsen's enhanced metrics show significant out-of-home viewership.
- •Fox's annual NFL rights fee stands at $2.25 billion.
- 3:40 PMYahoo Sports — For Fox, televising the World Cup is "like having two NFL seasons in a single year"
"For Fox, the $485 million paid for the English-language World Cup broadcast rights in America may be the best investment the network has ever made.
Sources
External linksOriginal reporting and copyright belong to the linked sources. SportsNewsReport.com aggregates and links — it does not republish full articles.
Related Stories
Last 14 days- NFL•Jun 20, 2026, 4:25 PMFox Sports names Kyler Murray as 'best fit' for Vikings starting role
- NFL•Jun 20, 2026, 4:15 PMProjections for Caleb Williams, Bears offense in 2026
- NFL•Jun 20, 2026, 4:15 PMJihaad Campbell is changing his jersey number
- NFL•Jun 20, 2026, 4:14 PMShould Buccaneers Trade Vea If New Contract Can’t be Reached?
- NFL•Jun 20, 2026, 4:12 PMSwedish World Cup fan goes viral for praising Texas gas station chain that sold him fabulous cowboy hat
- NFL•Jun 20, 2026, 4:04 PMESPN Recommends Free Agent Pass Rusher for Vikings
