Soccer is known to be the king of sports in most countries around the world. In the United States it has not yet reached that status, but it is gradually gaining a stronger following. Proof of this is the match that pitted the USMNT against England on November 25th on the second day of the group stage of the Qatar 2022 World Cup.
Up to 19,650,000 viewers turned their TV on to watch the match live on FOX at some point during the game - and an average of 15,377,000 stayed for the full 90 minutes - according to the network itself. The match set a new record for viewership of a men's soccer game in U.S. television history. The record was held by the final between Italy and Brazil during the 1994 World Cup, held in the United States, which reached a peak audience of 14,510,000 viewers. The match ended 0-0 despite the dominance of Gregg Berhalter's young team.
RECORD ALERT 🚨 RECORD ALERT 🚨
Friday's @USMNT - England #FIFAWorldCup match draws 15,377,000 viewers on FOX, making it the most-watched men's soccer match EVER on U.S. television, up +6% from the previous high of 14,510,000 (Italy vs. Brazil Final, 1994). #USAvENG pic.twitter.com/r0gNcuP5Fj
- FOX Sports PR (@FOXSportsPR) November 26, 2022
Even if it broke this mark, it is far from being the most watched soccer game in U.S. television history. The 2015 Women's World Cup final, in which the national team was crowned three-time world champion - it now has four titles after also winning in 2019 - reached a peak audience of more than 25 million.
MLS, an attraction for many stars
Not only is soccer gaining a larger following through the small screen, but also through the national league. Major League Soccer (MLS) is growing in leaps and bounds and, for several years now, more and more soccer stars have been crossing the Atlantic Ocean from Europe to live the dream of American soccer.
Players such as Zlatan Ibrahimović, David Beckham, Kaká, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Thierry Henry, Andrea Pirlo, Rafael Márquez, Didier Drogba, Wayne Rooney, Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, Gonzalo Higuaín and David Villa have boosted the MLS identity when they landed in the United States during the first two decades of the 21st century. Carlos Valderrama - 6 seasons in 3 different teams - and Hugo Sánchez were the first stars to play on North American fields.
MLS continues to improve its level. Gareth Bale, Lorenzo Insigne, Giorgio Chiellini, Hector Herrera, Carlos Vela, Chicharito Hernandez, Xherdan Shaqiri and Alexandre Pato are just some of the players who are currently delighting American fans.
