World Cup final draws record viewership in U.S. amid local struggles

The FIFA World Cup final saw a significant television audience in the U.S., with Spain's 1-0 victory over Argentina attracting nearly 39 million viewers on FOX, a record for English-language soccer broadcasts. Telemundo's Spanish-language coverage also set a record with 24 million viewers. Despite these milestones, the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, ranked as the 16th largest market in the U.S., lagged with a rating of 2.58, placing 30th in viewership rankings. Local interest was bolstered by Minnesota United, which hosted watch parties and recorded approximately 30,000 attendees. The organization is looking to potentially host women’s World Cup matches in 2031 but faces funding challenges similar to past bidding experiences.

• 5:15 PMYahoo Sports — World Cup set TV viewing records in U.S., but Minnesota was a straggler