The viewing numbers are in for the USA’s first World Cup 2022 game. Adding the numbers of FOX Sports and Telemundo Deportes together, the total viewing audience for USA-Wales was an impressive 11.7 million.
Televised on a Monday afternoon from 2-4PM ET, the game ended 1-1 with both Wales and the United States sharing the points.
Looking closer at the numbers, 8.3 million watched on FOX network (which included 563,000 who watched via FOX’s streaming platforms). Meanwhile, 3.2 million watched on Telemundo (1 million of that was via Peacock and the Telemundo Deportes app).
Top cities watching USA-Wales across America
Here are the cities where FOX scored the highest ratings nationwide:
Top 5 ratings markets:
1. Austin
2. Cincinnati
3. Dallas
4. San Diego
5. Philadelphia
Compared to World Cup 2018, FOX’s viewership average for the first three games is up 193%. In 2018, the average was 1.374 million. Now, in 2022, it’s at 4,026,000. Of course, it always helps when the USMNT qualifies for a World Cup.
Attention shifts to Black Friday
For both FOX Sports and Telemundo, the attention now shifts to Black Friday when the United States plays England in a must-win game. Both networks will be battling for viewers. Kickoff time is 2PM ET.
FOX Sports, in particular, will be hoping for a US win or tie in order to keep viewers glued to the final group stage match next week against Iran. With FOX Sports competing with the NFL, FOX needs the US to go far in order for the World Cup to be a ratings success.
Don’t miss a single USMNT game with our World Cup television schedule.
Telemundo have more options
During a video conference last week with US soccer media, World Soccer Talk asked Telemundo Deportes President Ray Warren about the advantages that the Spanish-language broadcaster has compared to the challenges facing FOX Sports.
“Some of FOX’s viewers will have to make choices,” said Warren. “There’s a lot of conflict in [FOX’s] schedule between college football and NFL. They’ll have more games on FS1 this year than they did in 2018 because of that. Example being Argentina versus Mexico, which will conflict with Ohio State-Michigan, so we’re looking forward to that day.
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