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US-Belgium World Cup match breaks soccer viewership record
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- US-Belgium World Cup match breaks soccer viewership record
US-Belgium World Cup match breaks soccer viewership record appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
The USMNT vs Belgium match at the 2026 FIFA World Cup was watched by more than 30 million viewers .
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In the process, it became the most-watched soccer match in American history, per Fox Sports. A total of 33,086,000 television viewers tuned into the game. Additionally, it was the most-watched non-NFL telecast on any major television network since 2016.
Game 7 of the 2016 World Series between the Chicago Cubs and Cleveland Guardians was watched by 40.05 million viewers on Fox. It also became the most-watched telecast on any network since Super Bowl LX between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots. The top market was Kansas City, which had 19.80 million viewers.
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The match was summed up largely by the USMNT 's underperformance. A lack of energy, mistakes during the game, and underperformance by top players led to a 4-1 Belgium victory .
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The Americans completed the fifth consecutive World Cup (2010, 2014, 2018, 2022, and 2026) without getting past the Round of 16. Going into the tournament, the USMNT was enormously hyped, with tremendous expectations. Given that America was co-hosting the World Cup for the first time since 1994, it added to the hype. The USMNT played before sold-out crowds with celebrities and political figures tuning in, watching in person, or commenting on the action on social media.
Overall, the spark in viewership has led some to promote the growth of soccer in America . Typically, fans and others get excited and tune in for the World Cup. However, once the tournament and festivities are over, soccer generally falls behind in the American sporting landscape.
Nevertheless, the numbers demonstrate hope.
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