England's victory over Mexico in the round of 16 at the World Cup 2026 has captivated a massive audience in the United States. The match drew nearly 45 million viewers, surpassing the viewership numbers for the US's own last-16 tie against Belgium, which was watched by 42 million people across Fox, Telemundo, and Peacock, according to NBC Sports.
The total figures for the Three Lions' game come from 23.1 million watching on Telemundo and Peacock, and 21.742 million watching on Fox, making it a standout performance in the US. The match's popularity can be attributed to England's massive following in the US, as well as the incredible nature of their victory.
The success of the match has highlighted Fifa's objective to grow football in America, which appears to be on track. One of the main objectives of the 2026 World Cup was to increase the popularity of football in the US, and with seven knockout matches still to play, the signs are overwhelmingly positive for football's governing body.
However, it remains to be seen if these matches can maintain the hype and views of a North American audience now that all three of the World Cup co-hosts, the US, Mexico, and Canada, have been eliminated from the tournament. Even if viewership were to drop for the rest of the tournament, the good news for Fifa is that talks are underway over television rights for the 2030 edition of the tournament, with US broadcasters expected to pay around $2bn to air the World Cup.