The FIFA World Cup tournament barreled into North America this year amid a tide of nativism, political polarization in the U.S. and the usual uncertainty over how well the quadrennial men’s soccer championship would play with American sports fans — especially as this year’s 39-day competition collided directly with the America 250 celebrations.
After 25 days, the answer is undeniable. The World Cup has delivered an audience and sponsorship windfall for Fox Sports and for Telemundo and Peacock, which have Spanish-language linear and streaming rights to the tournament in the U.S.
All three platforms have set viewership records with key matches. Big wins by the U.S. Men’s National Team and the national teams of Mexico, England, France, Argentina and other top contenders have driven intense coverage by global media outlets.
Perhaps most important for the game of soccer, however, the dynamics around the tournament, rivalries among teams and the charisma of star players have resonated in U.S. pop culture feeds like never before.
“We’re seeing numbers for some of these matches that we don’t see for anything but the NFL,” Michael Mulvihill, Fox Sports’ president of insight and analytics, tells Variety of the tournament that began June 11 and concludes on July 19. The results have been strong across the board in key adult demos. One noticeable element to World Cup coverage that Mulvihill points to is the high proportion of multi-generational viewing that it engenders — an audience that is incredibly valuable to advertisers.
