FIFA Would Like To Cash-In On Media Rights

A record 62.8 million viewers in the United States tuned in to watch Spain defeat Argentina 1-0 in extra time on Sunday, making it the most-watched soccer match in U.S. history—nearly 17 million more than the previous record.

The audience more than doubled the viewership of the 2022 World Cup final. Fox led the way with 38.9 million viewers on its English-language broadcast, peaking at 51.7 million. That figure surpassed all but two of the network’s NFL games during the 2025-26 season. Telemundo and Peacock added another 23.9 million Spanish-language viewers, breaking the previous record of 23.2 million for a World Cup broadcast in Spanish.

Fox Sports averaged 7.74 million viewers per match across the entire tournament—more than double its audiences for both the 2022 and 2018 World Cups.

The massive numbers strengthen FIFA’s position as it prepares to sell broadcast rights for the 2030 and 2034 Men’s World Cups. FIFA is expected to open negotiations later this year and is seeking a sharp increase from the $485 million Fox paid for the 2026 rights. Bidding is projected to start at $1 billion, with some reports suggesting a bundled English- and Spanish-language package for both tournaments could reach around $3 billion total.

However, challenges loom. Most games in 2030 will be played in Europe (with some in South America), and the 2034 tournament will be hosted by Saudi Arabia—time zones far less favorable for U.S. afternoon and primetime audiences than this summer’s matches.

As a result, the winner of the rights may not be the highest bidder alone, but the one best able to maximize reach through its distribution model. Streaming services, unbound by traditional broadcast schedules, could emerge as strong contenders. 

Still, Fox is expected to fight hard to retain its long-held position as the World Cup’s primary U.S. broadcaster.