Historic: US debut at 2026 FIFA World Cup breaks all viewership records

The U.S. men's national team’s (USMNT) debut in the 2026 FIFA World Cup could not have been better, both on and off the field. Their resounding victory over Paraguay (4-1) in their group stage debut left everyone in awe: it became the most-watched soccer game in the country’s history.

Specifically, 27.5 million viewers tuned in to the television channels broadcasting the match and witnessed the co-hosts’ rout, breaking all previous records.

It wasn’t just the USMNT that broke records

In the other two co-hosting countries, Mexico and Canada, many of their citizens also didn’t want to miss their national teams’ debut at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

According to FIFA in a press release, 23.4 million Mexican viewers watched the tournament’s opening match between Mexico and South Africa, which ended in a victory for the home team (2-0). It achieved a market share of 72.1%.

Meanwhile, 3.1 million Canadians watched the draw between Canada and Bosnia and Herzegovina (1-1).

Infantino: "Truly historic"

Regarding these viewership figures, FIFA President Gianni Infantino, celebrated the fact that fans in the World Cup co-host countries were following the action on TV: "What we are witnessing here is truly historic. The United States' opening match against Paraguay was the most-watched FIFA World Cup match ever broadcast in the United States, while more than 54 million people across Canada, Mexico and the United States watched their respective nations opening matches, shattering records and showing how football is truly uniting the world."

"These figures tell you everything about what this tournament means to these countries, this continent and the entire world. However, this is not just about numbers - this is about millions of people from every corner of the world, coming together through football. The atmosphere, energy and passion I feel in these host countries is something incredibly special. The fans inside full stadiums, those watching at home, and some celebrating in the streets are all part of something unique," Infantino added.