USMNT opens World Cup with record viewership against Paraguay

The United States men's national soccer team (USMNT) launched its home World Cup campaign with a 4-1 victory over Paraguay, drawing an audience of 27.5 million across FOX and Telemundo, the highest for a World Cup match in the U.S. While the match attracted significant attention, Google Trends showed many viewers were new to the sport, leading to questions about sustained interest. The USMNT advanced to the round of 16 before losing 4-1 to Belgium, finishing with three wins and 11 goals, both records for the team in a single World Cup. Polling indicates that while many believe the World Cup will spark interest in soccer, actual fan dedication remains low among U.S. adults.

• 5:30 PMYahoo Sports — Americans were Googling the USMNT during a record-breaking World Cup run