The US Men’s National Team may have lost 4-1 to Belgium on July 6, but the real scoreline was on the ratings board. An average of 30 million viewers tuned into Fox for the match, making it the most-watched soccer telecast in American television history. The previous record, 26.4 million viewers from the USMNT’s earlier group-stage clash against Bosnia-Herzegovina, didn’t even last a week.
Peak viewership hit 36.895 million between 9:15 and 9:30 p.m. ET.
Fan tokens found their moment
While the USMNT’s tournament ended with Belgium advancing to the quarterfinals, the crypto angle was playing out in parallel. Belgium’s $BELG fan token was active during the knockout stage, giving holders access to engagement features tied to the Belgian national team’s World Cup run.
Fan tokens, for the uninitiated, are digital assets that give holders voting rights on minor team decisions, access to exclusive content, and gamified experiences. They’ve been a fixture in European soccer for years, with clubs like FC Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain launching their own through platforms like Socios.com.
