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Record viewership for 2026 FIFA World Cup raises soccer's profile in U.S

Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Jul 4, 2026, 1:00 PM

Last updated Jul 4, 2026

Summary

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is seeing unprecedented viewership in the United States, with over 33 million watching the U.S. versus Bosnia and Herzegovina match. This surge indicates a potential shift towards mainstream acceptance of soccer, paralleling major American sports viewership. However, experts caution whether this interest will extend beyond the World Cup to the MLS, where viewership remains substantially lower. Future matches may offer further insights, especially as the U.S. prepares to face Belgium next. Fox is also leveraging the World Cup's momentum with a special MLS match on July 17.

Source Links

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By the Numbers

•More than 33 million viewers watched the U.S.-Bosnia match.
•Previous highest viewership for men's soccer was in the 2014 World Cup final.
•MLS has limited national broadcast after July 17.
•Fox will air a primetime match to capitalize on World Cup interest.
•The next U.S. match is against Belgium.

Latest Updates

1:00 PMYahoo Sports — Will this World Cup finally make soccer mainstream in the U.S.?

What they're saying

"
With record-setting, NFL-like viewership for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, there is good reason to believe that soccer may finally be entering the mainstream in the United States sports market. But there is also reason to exercise caution. Are people getting into soccer, or just the World Cup event? If people are really getting into…
— Yahoo Sports

Related Teams & Leagues

FIFA World Cup Soccer