
<p>It was the game that executives from Telemundo Deportes were <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/telemundo-world-cup-schedule-advantages-20220411-CMS-379163.html">most looking forward to</a> ahead of the 2022 World Cup. Argentina against Mexico. And it didn’t disappoint. So much so that 8.9 million tuned in across Telemundo, <a href="https://imp.i305175.net/c/330866/1313913/11640" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Peacock</a> and Telemundo’s streaming app to watch the incredible 2-0 win for Argentina.</p>



<p>The matchup between Argentina and Mexico was a dream for Telemundo executives. The most popular team in North America against the team featuring Messi from South America. More to it than that, the game on FOX Sports was positioned on FS1 instead of FOX because of programming conflicts.</p>



<h2>Argentina-Mexico is a record breaker in United States</h2>



<p>Argentina against Mexico broke three records in the United States:</p>



<ol><li>It’s the most-watched sports event in Telemundo history. Telemundo was founded in 1984.</li><li>Most-watched World Cup Group Stage game ever in Spanish-language in the United States.</li><li>Most-streamed World Cup game ever with more than 2 million viewers.</li></ol>



<p>How many of the viewership were English-language speakers is unknown, but that must have certainly been a factor, too.</p>



<p>Saturday’s Argentina-Mexico match is the first World Cup game to top two million viewers with an Average Minute Audience (AMA) of 2.08 million viewers on <a href="https://imp.i305175.net/c/330866/1313913/11640" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Peacock</a> and&nbsp;Telemundo streaming platforms and beating the previous record set by Tuesday’s Mexico v. Poland game (1.35 million).</p>



<figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper">
<div class="ck-twitter"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Consider that there are 253 television markets in the country and Telemundo is only in 96 of them. <a href="https://t.co/yn5evB0vt1">https://t.co/yn5evB0vt1</a></p>— Timothy Burke (@bubbaprog) <a href="https://twitter.com/bubbaprog/status/1597102836210405377?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 28, 2022</a></blockquote></div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
</div></figure>



<p>The streaming success has driven Peacock to the&nbsp;No. 1 spot on the App Store&nbsp;for free iOS apps every day since the tournament began, with the Telemundo Deportes app often breaking into the Top 5.</p>



<h2>World Cup viewership is up</h2>



<p>Through seven days,&nbsp;the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 is averaging a total audience delivery of 2.6 million viewers for 24 games,&nbsp;up 24%&nbsp;vs. the 2018 tournament (2.1 million), which took place in Russia in the summer.</p>



<p>During the Argentina-Mexico match window (1:30-4:00 pm ET), Telemundo ranked as the&nbsp;No. 1 network overall regardless of language&nbsp;in Los Angeles, New York, Miami, Houston, and San Francisco and #1 on Spanish-language TV in Dallas, Chicago, Phoenix, Orlando, Sacramento, Tampa, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C, Boston and Atlanta.</p>


<div style="background:#f9e4ea;padding:10px;">
<h3>Guide to World Cup 2022</h3>
<div style="padding:10px;">
Here are some resources to help you get the most out of the biggest event in soccer!
</div>
<div style="padding:10px;">
<a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/world-cup-tv-schedule/"><strong>TV Schedule:</strong></a> All the info on <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/world-cup-tv-schedule/">where and when to watch</a> every game
</div><div style="padding:10px;">
<a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/2022/04/04/analysis-of-world-cup-groups/"><strong>The Groups:</strong></a> We <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/2022/04/04/analysis-of-world-cup-groups/">breakdown each group</a> and all the teams
</div><div style="padding:10px;">
<a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/world-cup-jerseys-for-qatar-2022/"><strong>The Kits:</strong></a> Check out <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/world-cup-jerseys-for-qatar-2022/">what every team will be wearing</a> on the field this fall
</div><div style="padding:10px;">
<a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/predictor/"><strong>Predictor:</strong></a> Play out every scenario with our <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/predictor/">World Cup Predictor</a>
</div><div style="padding:10px;">
<a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/2022/04/05/world-cup-bracket-free-download/"><strong>World Cup Bracket:</strong></a> Map out the <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/2022/04/05/world-cup-bracket-free-download/">entire tournament</a>, from the groups to the final
</div><div style="padding:10px;">
<a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/category/world-cup-2022/"><strong>World Cup Hub:</strong></a> Your one stop for <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/category/world-cup-2022/">everything Qatar 2022</a>
</div>
</div>


The numbers are in for Argentina Mexico viewership on US Spanish-language television station Telemundo and Peacock.

8.9 million watched Argentina-Mexico on Telemundo Deportes - World Soccer Talk

8.9 million watched Argentina-Mexico on Telemundo Deportes


<p>The World Cup viewership for USA-England is in, and it’s a colossal number.</p>



<p>Black Friday’s FIFA World Cup game between the United States and England scored 19.9 million viewers across FOX Sports and Telemundo Deportes on television and streaming combined.</p>



<p>Of that, 15.377 million watched the game on FOX, which the broadcaster says is the most-watched men’s soccer match ever on English-language U.S. television. However, there is a debate about the numbers. That’s regarding <a href="https://twitter.com/EBASports/status/1596643813338288129" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">whether it’s an apples-to-apples comparison</a> with previous World Cup broadcasts. FOX Sports are measuring World Cup matches differently than previous World Cup rights holder ESPN.</p>



<p>Nevertheless, there’s no doubt that it’s a monster number.</p>



<p>The media department at FOX Sports added that the viewership number for USA-England is up 6% from the previous high of 14,510,000 (Italy vs. Brazil Final, 1994).</p>



<h2>USA-England a big hit for Telemundo Deportes too</h2>



<p>On Spanish-language television and streaming in the United States, the World Cup game between USA-England was watched by 4.6 million viewers.</p>



<p>Combining FOX and Telemundo’s numbers together, the draw between US and England totaled 19,977,000 viewers.</p>



<p>Telemundo is the exclusive Spanish-language media rights holder to the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 in the U.S.</p>



<p>The 4.6 million viewers for the 0-0 tie between England and USA was&nbsp;up 33%&nbsp;compared to the USA’s first match vs. Wales (3.5 million) on Monday and&nbsp;surpassed nine of the 10&nbsp;most recent Group Stage matches played by the U.S. team. For the 2006, 2010 and 2014 World Cups, the only match with higher viewership than Friday night’s match was on June 22, 2014, when the USA tied Portugal 2-2 at FIFA World Cup Brazil.&nbsp;This year’s World Cup is the first to take place in the fall in order to offset Qatar’s extreme summer heat. The USA did not qualify for the tournament in 2018.</p>



<p>Since <a href="https://www.worldsoccertalk.com/category/world-cup-2022">World Cup</a> games on Telemundo are simulcast on <a href="https://imp.i305175.net/c/330866/1313913/11640" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Peacock</a>, Telemundo Deportes report that of the 4.6 million total viewers, 1.27 million watched it on Peacock and Telemundo Deportes streaming platforms.</p>



<h2>World Cup viewership for USA-England on UK TV</h2>



<p>More viewers watched the US-England World Cup game in the United States than they did in soccer-mad United Kingdom. A total of 15.1 million people watched the game across the pond, <a href="https://twitter.com/worldsoccertalk/status/1596519352722870272" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">according to ITV viewing numbers</a>.</p>



<p>There’s no denying that the viewing numbers from FOX and Telemundo are impressive. However, that doesn’t vindicate <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tv/foxs-world-cup-coverage-illustrates-how-not-to-televise-soccer-20221126-WST-409921.html">FOX’s disappointing World Cup TV coverage</a>.</p>



<p><em>Photo credit: IMAGO / Newspix</em></p>


<div style="background:#f9e4ea;padding:10px;">
<h3>Guide to World Cup 2022</h3>
<div style="padding:10px;">
Here are some resources to help you get the most out of the biggest event in soccer!
</div>
<div style="padding:10px;">
<a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/world-cup-tv-schedule/"><strong>TV Schedule:</strong></a> All the info on <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/world-cup-tv-schedule/">where and when to watch</a> every game
</div><div style="padding:10px;">
<a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/2022/04/04/analysis-of-world-cup-groups/"><strong>The Groups:</strong></a> We <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/2022/04/04/analysis-of-world-cup-groups/">breakdown each group</a> and all the teams
</div><div style="padding:10px;">
<a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/world-cup-jerseys-for-qatar-2022/"><strong>The Kits:</strong></a> Check out <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/world-cup-jerseys-for-qatar-2022/">what every team will be wearing</a> on the field this fall
</div><div style="padding:10px;">
<a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/predictor/"><strong>Predictor:</strong></a> Play out every scenario with our <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/predictor/">World Cup Predictor</a>
</div><div style="padding:10px;">
<a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/2022/04/05/world-cup-bracket-free-download/"><strong>World Cup Bracket:</strong></a> Map out the <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/2022/04/05/world-cup-bracket-free-download/">entire tournament</a>, from the groups to the final
</div><div style="padding:10px;">
<a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/category/world-cup-2022/"><strong>World Cup Hub:</strong></a> Your one stop for <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/category/world-cup-2022/">everything Qatar 2022</a>
</div>
</div>


World Cup viewership for USA-England garnered a giant audience across both FOX Sports and Telemundo Deportes TV and streaming.

World Cup viewership for USA-England breaks record - World Soccer Talk

World Cup viewership for USA-England breaks record


<p>FOX Sports executives know that the success of FOX’s World Cup coverage depends on one thing, and that’s how well the USMNT does. </p>



<p>If the US Men’s National Team go home after three games, FOX Sports face huge obstacles to make <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/category/world-cup-2022/">World Cup 2022</a> a financial and viewership success.</p>



<p>Conversely, if the USMNT advance from Group B and progress through the different rounds, it may just be enough for FOX Sports to break through the noise of college football and NFL.</p>



<h2>The unique challenge of FOX’s World Cup</h2>



<p>During a video conference this 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. </p>



<p>“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 <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/world-cup-tv-schedule/">Argentina versus Mexico</a>, which will conflict with Ohio State-Michigan, so we’re looking forward to that day.</p>



<p>“Hispanic fans pivot from one team to the next. If their team goes out, they have a second favorite. They might have a third. And if everybody is out, they still want to watch the World Cup, and they’ll have a fourth. </p>



<p>“More Hispanic teams in our domain allows us an audience that will stay with us.”</p>



<p>That’s something that FOX Sports doesn’t have up its sleeve.</p>



<h2>USMNT has to do well for FOX</h2>



<p>Watching the World Cup, if you sense an over-exuberance on FOX’s part to want the USMNT to do well, don’t be too surprised. At the heart of it, FOX Sports’ talent are proud of the US team, and are both excited and positive about their chances to succeed.</p>



<p>At the same time, they know that a US team progressing through this competition will give them more exposure on television, as well as helping the TV ratings.</p>



<p>After all, FOX know what it feels like to not have the USMNT at a World Cup.</p>



<p>“The collateral damage that [the US not playing in the 2018 World Cup] did to our viewership numbers was unmistakable,” FOX Sports Executive Producer David Neal <a href="https://www.sportsvideo.org/2022/09/29/the-svg-podcast-fox-sports-david-neal-kevin-callahan-preview-the-2023-fifa-world-cup/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">said recently</a>.</p>



<p>USA’s failure to qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia also hurt FOX’s bottom line.</p>



<p>According to <a href="https://news.yahoo.com/first-q4-world-cup-early-150000178.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Standard Media Index estimates</a>, FOX’s advertising sales were down 29% for World Cup 2018 compared to the $319 million pulled in by Disney and Univision. In short, it was due to lower-than-expected ratings. </p>



<p>All in all, a successful campaign for the US Men’s National Team at Qatar 2022 will make a huge difference for FOX Sports. Indirectly, USA’s success in the World Cup will help grow the popularity of the sport in our country too.</p>



<h2>How Qatar 2022 has already been a success for FOX</h2>



<p>However, the irony in all of this is that Qatar 2022 has already been a major success for FOX Sports. How so? In 2011, FOX Sports paid roughly $500 million to FIFA for the rights to televise the 2018 and 2022 World Cup tournaments. But in 2014, the reports revealed that <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/20/sports/soccer/fifa-confirms-winter-world-cup-for-2022.html">FIFA were planning to switch Qatar 2022 from the summer to winter</a> months.</p>



<p>Subsequently, according to World Soccer Talk sources, FOX Sports threatened to sue FIFA for moving the competition to the winter. In short, FOX Sports were upset that the tournament would be going head-to-head with college football and NFL. Hence, Qatar 2022 wouldn’t be as successful financially for FOX Sports due to increased competition from traditional American sports.</p>



<p>Ultimately, a compromise was reached. </p>



<p>FIFA made the decision to award FOX Sports the TV rights to the 2026 FIFA World Cup. In spite of this, <a href="https://www.espn.com/soccer/league-name/story/2296483/headline" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">no other broadcasters had the opportunity</a> to bid on the rights. ESPN, among other broadcasters, were furious.</p>



<p>The story had an even happier ending for FOX Sports when in 2018 the broadcaster learned that the United States, Canada and Mexico would co-host World Cup 2026. On home turf, the competition promises to be a major cash cow for FOX Sports, in particular, as the exclusive English-language broadcaster in the United States.</p>



<p>In hindsight, perhaps Qatar 2022 was the best decision that could have ever happened for FOX Sports.</p>



<p><em>Photo credit: IMAGO / Icon Sportswire</em></p>


<div style="background:#f9e4ea;padding:10px;">
<h3>Guide to World Cup 2022</h3>
<div style="padding:10px;">
Here are some resources to help you get the most out of the biggest event in soccer!
</div>
<div style="padding:10px;">
<a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/world-cup-tv-schedule/"><strong>TV Schedule:</strong></a> All the info on <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/world-cup-tv-schedule/">where and when to watch</a> every game
</div><div style="padding:10px;">
<a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/2022/04/04/analysis-of-world-cup-groups/"><strong>The Groups:</strong></a> We <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/2022/04/04/analysis-of-world-cup-groups/">breakdown each group</a> and all the teams
</div><div style="padding:10px;">
<a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/world-cup-jerseys-for-qatar-2022/"><strong>The Kits:</strong></a> Check out <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/world-cup-jerseys-for-qatar-2022/">what every team will be wearing</a> on the field this fall
</div><div style="padding:10px;">
<a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/predictor/"><strong>Predictor:</strong></a> Play out every scenario with our <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/predictor/">World Cup Predictor</a>
</div><div style="padding:10px;">
<a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/2022/04/05/world-cup-bracket-free-download/"><strong>World Cup Bracket:</strong></a> Map out the <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/2022/04/05/world-cup-bracket-free-download/">entire tournament</a>, from the groups to the final
</div><div style="padding:10px;">
<a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/category/world-cup-2022/"><strong>World Cup Hub:</strong></a> Your one stop for <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/category/world-cup-2022/">everything Qatar 2022</a>
</div>
</div>


Read why FOX's World Cup success depends on how well the US Men's National Team does during World Cup 2022.

FOX's World Cup success rides on how USMNT does in Qatar - World Soccer Talk

FOX's World Cup success rides on how USMNT does in Qatar

<div><figure class="image"></figure></div>
<p>The USWNT TV ratings in 2021 dropped, as did the attendance. This compounded what came out to be a, simply put, terrible year for the United States Women’s National Team.</p>
<p>The main competition in 2021 was the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. For the second-straight Olympics, the USWNT failed to <em>reach </em>the gold medal game. The squad did manage to bring him a bronze medal, but the talent on the team expects gold.</p>
<p>COVID-19 still presented an issue for in-person attendance. The USWNT dropped its attendance numbers compared to 2019, the last year with full attendance. In fact, the total attendance hit its lowest average since 2014, with <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/2021/12/27/uswnt-attendance-in-2021-dips-due-to-covid-lack-of-success/#comments" target="_blank" rel="noopener">12,703 spectators</a> at each game.</p>
<p>Therefore, it comes as no surprise that the TV ratings dropped dramatically as well. Here’s what the numbers looked like.</p>
<h3>USWNT TV Ratings in 2021</h3>
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<table class="tableizer-table">
<thead>
<tr class="tableizer-firstrow">
<th>Date</th>
<th>Competition</th>
<th>Opponent</th>
<th>TV Channel</th>
<th>Viewership</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>January 18</td>
<td>Friendly</td>
<td>Colombia</td>
<td>FS1</td>
<td>396,000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>January 22</td>
<td>Friendly</td>
<td>Colombia</td>
<td>ESPN2</td>
<td>317,000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>February 18</td>
<td>She Believes Cup</td>
<td>Canada</td>
<td>FS1</td>
<td>498,000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>February 21</td>
<td>She Believes Cup</td>
<td>Brazil</td>
<td>FS1</td>
<td>568,000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>February 24</td>
<td>She Believes Cup</td>
<td>Argentina</td>
<td>FS1</td>
<td>530,000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>April 10</td>
<td>Friendly</td>
<td>Sweden</td>
<td>FOX</td>
<td>713,000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>April 13</td>
<td>Friendly</td>
<td>France</td>
<td>ESPN2</td>
<td>288,000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>June 10</td>
<td>Friendly</td>
<td>Portugal</td>
<td>FS1</td>
<td>383,000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>June 13</td>
<td>Friendly</td>
<td>Jamaica</td>
<td>FS1</td>
<td>499,000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>June 16</td>
<td>Friendly</td>
<td>Nigeria</td>
<td>ESPN2</td>
<td>392,000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>July 1</td>
<td>Friendly</td>
<td>Mexico</td>
<td>FS1</td>
<td>496,000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>July 5</td>
<td>Friendly</td>
<td>Mexico</td>
<td>ESPN</td>
<td>694,000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>July 21</td>
<td>Olympics</td>
<td>Sweden</td>
<td>USA</td>
<td>148,000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>July 24</td>
<td>Olympics</td>
<td>New Zealand</td>
<td>NBCSN</td>
<td>687,000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>July 27</td>
<td>Olympics</td>
<td>Australia</td>
<td>USA</td>
<td>219,000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>July 30</td>
<td>Olympics</td>
<td>Netherlands</td>
<td>NBCSN</td>
<td>727,000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>August 2</td>
<td>Olympics</td>
<td>Canada</td>
<td>USA</td>
<td>150,000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>August 5</td>
<td>Olympics</td>
<td>Australia</td>
<td>USA</td>
<td>330,000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>September 16</td>
<td>Friendly</td>
<td>Paraguay</td>
<td>ESPN2</td>
<td>292,000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>September 21</td>
<td>Friendly</td>
<td>Paraguay</td>
<td>FS1</td>
<td>211,000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>October 21</td>
<td>Friendly</td>
<td>South Korea</td>
<td>ESPN2</td>
<td>287,000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>October 26</td>
<td>Friendly</td>
<td>South Korea</td>
<td>FS1</td>
<td>299,000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>November 26</td>
<td>Friendly</td>
<td>Australia</td>
<td>FS2</td>
<td>120,000</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<p>Despite the drop compared to previous years, 2021 actually showed an improvement compared to 2020. On average, 401,913 people watched the U.S. this past year. That shows a nearly 80,000-person increase from the nine games in 2020 pulling 322,667. Of course, that year had less games and less competition due to the pandemic.</p>
<p>Going back a year prior, 1,996,917 was the average TV audience in 2019. the USWNT TV ratings represent an 80% drop compared to that year. Again, this is not the fairest comparison. A massive drop compared to a Women’s World Cup year is to be expected.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, the ratings also dipped compared to the previous Summer Olympics year. Back in 2016, the WNT averaged 679,455 viewers per game over 22 games.</p>
<h5>Reasons for drop in viewership</h5>
<p>The biggest culprit for less viewers is something out of the country’s control. Time difference plays a role when the games happen at 3 a.m. ET.</p>
<p>In the previous major tournaments, the host countries created favorable time slots for fans of the USWNT. In 2015, The Women’s World Cup was in Canada before going to France in 2019. The 2016 Summer Olympics were in Rio de Janeiro. Unfortunately for the fans of the USWNT, Tokyo is on the other side of the International Date Line. Therefore, all of the USWNT games at the Olympics kicked off very early in the morning. A number of games kicked off in the <a href="https://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2021/07/2020-tokyo-olympics-uswnt-vs-netherlands-preview-schedule-tv-channels-start-time#:~:text=The%20semifinals%20will%20be%20played,5)." target="_blank" rel="noopener">2 a.m. to 4 a.m. window</a>.</p>
<p>It’s not a coincidence that their two most watched games at the Olympics were the two that kicked off closer to 7am. None of the six games in Tokyo reaching a million viewers is a stark contrast to 2016. That year, all four games drew over a million viewers.</p>
<p>It’s also worth noting that Spanish-language viewing figures for USWNT games are incredibly difficult to find. In fact, only three games had numbers: the July 1 friendly against Mexico drew 171,000 on TUDN. Then, the Olympic opener against Sweden drew 51,000 on Telemundo. Finally, the second group stage Olympic game against New Zealand drew 209,000 viewers on Telemundo.</p>
<p>And finally the WNT viewership was also lower than MNT viewership (in English language only) for the first time since 2018 as the WNT drew 46% fewer viewers than their male counterparts with the MNT drawing 745,625 over 14 games in 2021. Factoring in the Spanish language numbers it’s even worse as the MNT drew a combined 1,528,381 viewers per game compared to just a combined 420,652 per game for the WNT.</p>


After a struggle on the field, comparatively speaking, we take a look at the USWNT TV ratings in 2021 and how they compare to 2020 and 2019.

USWNT TV ratings in 2021 down compared to previous years - World Soccer Talk

USWNT TV ratings in 2021 down compared to previous years

<div id="attachment_365820" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><div><figure class="image"></figure></div><p id="caption-attachment-365820" class="wp-caption-text">Photo by John Todd/ISI Photos/Getty Images</p></div>
<p>Much like attendance, the USMNT TV ratings in 2021 gauge the popularity and growth of soccer in the country.</p>
<p>Ratings for the Premier League and the Champions League grew over recent years. Consequently, soccer found its niche in the diverse American sporting landscape.</p>
<p>However, the USMNT TV ratings always seemed to fluctuate depending on a variety of factors. That is, unsurprisingly, things such as team form, opponent, the competition among other things.</p>
<p>As was the case with <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/2021/12/23/usmnt-annual-attendance-show-8-increase-since-2019/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">crowds at games</a>, TV ratings for the US were almost non-existent in 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic certainly hampered the consistency and availability of games. Then, 2021 saw viewers start to tune back in as the US started to rack up the wins and accumulate some hardware. As you see below, it is important to account for English- and Spanish-language coverage of the team. The diversity of the nation is not catered to by just one language.</p>
<h3>USMNT TV Ratings in 2021</h3>
<h5>Friendlies</h5>
<p>Friendlies come throughout the year, with the bulk of these coming at the start. The USMNT wrapped up its 2022 schedule in December against Bosnia &amp; Herzegovina ahead of World Cup Qualifying in January.</p>
<p>Spanish-language viewing figures for the friendlies against Trinidad &amp; Tobago, Jamaica, and Switzerland are unavailable.</p>
<p>Here is how the USMNT TV rating in 2021 stacked up for friendlies</p>
<table class="tableizer-table">
<thead>
<tr class="tableizer-firstrow">
<th>Opponent</th>
<th>English TV Channel</th>
<th>English TV Audience</th>
<th>Spanish TV Channel</th>
<th>Spanish TV Audience</th>
<th>Total Audience</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Trinidad &amp; Tobago</td>
<td>FS1</td>
<td>258,000</td>
<td>–</td>
<td>–</td>
<td>258,000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Jamaica</td>
<td>ESPN2</td>
<td>267,000</td>
<td>–</td>
<td>–</td>
<td>267,000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Northern Ireland</td>
<td>FOX</td>
<td>835,000</td>
<td>TUDN</td>
<td>123,000</td>
<td>958,000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Switzerland</td>
<td>ESPN2</td>
<td>476,000</td>
<td>–</td>
<td>–</td>
<td>476,000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Costa Rica</td>
<td>ESPN2</td>
<td>355,000</td>
<td>TUDN</td>
<td>120,000</td>
<td>475,000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Bosnia &amp; Herzegovina</td>
<td>FS1</td>
<td>216,000</td>
<td>TUDN</td>
<td>106,000</td>
<td>322,000</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h5>Nations League</h5>
<p>The English-language rights to the <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.cms.futbolsitesnetwork.com/concacaf-nations-league-schedule/">CONCACAF Nations League</a> belonged to CBS. With games airing on CBS Sports, Nielsen does not report these numbers. Therefore, only the Spanish-language audience is available.</p>
<table class="tableizer-table">
<thead>
<tr class="tableizer-firstrow">
<th>Opponent</th>
<th>English TV Channel</th>
<th>English TV Audience</th>
<th>Spanish TV Channel</th>
<th>Spanish TV Audience</th>
<th>Total Audience</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Honduras</td>
<td>CBS Sports</td>
<td>–</td>
<td>Univision</td>
<td>1,300,000</td>
<td>1,300,000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Mexico</td>
<td>CBS Sports</td>
<td>–</td>
<td>Univision</td>
<td>4,200,000</td>
<td>4,200,000</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h5>Gold Cup</h5>
<p>The Gold Cup is a biennial event that regularly sees the USMNT advance far. This year, a young USMNT roster won in a dramatic final against Mexico.</p>
<table class="tableizer-table">
<thead>
<tr class="tableizer-firstrow">
<th>Opponent</th>
<th>English TV Channel</th>
<th>English TV Audience</th>
<th>Spanish TV Channel</th>
<th>Spanish TV Audience</th>
<th>Total Audience</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Haiti</td>
<td>FS1</td>
<td>719,000</td>
<td>Univision</td>
<td>1,300,000</td>
<td>2,019,000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Martinique</td>
<td>FS1</td>
<td>747,000</td>
<td>TUDN</td>
<td>266,000</td>
<td>1,013,000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Canada</td>
<td>FOX</td>
<td>1,400,000</td>
<td>TUDN</td>
<td>327,000</td>
<td>1,727,000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Jamaica</td>
<td>FS1</td>
<td>705,000</td>
<td>Univision</td>
<td>1,529,000</td>
<td>2,234,000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Qatar</td>
<td>FS1</td>
<td>863,000</td>
<td>TUDN</td>
<td>365,000</td>
<td>1,228,000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Mexico</td>
<td>FS1</td>
<td>1,751,000</td>
<td>Univision</td>
<td>5,700,000</td>
<td>7,450,000</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h5>World Cup Qualifying</h5>
<p>In the same fashion as the CONCACAF Nations League, CBS holds the rights to <a href="https://paramountplus.qflm.net/e4QgM1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">select games in World Cup Qualifying</a>. With the development of streaming, these games aired exclusively on Paramount+. In fact, these are all the road games for the USMNT.</p>
<p>ESPN and FOX split the coverage of the home games, with viewership numbers below.</p>
<table class="tableizer-table">
<thead>
<tr class="tableizer-firstrow">
<th>Opponent</th>
<th>English TV Channel</th>
<th>English TV Audience</th>
<th>Spanish TV Channel</th>
<th>Spanish TV Audience</th>
<th>Total Audience</th>
</tr>
</thead>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>@ El Salvador</td>
<td>Paramount+</td>
<td>–</td>
<td>Universo</td>
<td>246,000</td>
<td>246,000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Canada</td>
<td>FS1</td>
<td>776,000</td>
<td>UniMas</td>
<td>834,000</td>
<td>1,610,000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>@ Honduras</td>
<td>Paramount+</td>
<td>–</td>
<td>Universo</td>
<td>270,000</td>
<td>270,000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Jamaica</td>
<td>ESPN2</td>
<td>596,000</td>
<td>TUDN</td>
<td>192,000</td>
<td>788,000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>@ Panama</td>
<td>Paramount+</td>
<td>–</td>
<td>Universo</td>
<td>195,000</td>
<td>195,000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Costa Rica</td>
<td>ESPN2</td>
<td>651,000</td>
<td>TUDN</td>
<td>249,000</td>
<td>900,000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Mexico</td>
<td>ESPN2</td>
<td>1,315,000</td>
<td>Univision</td>
<td>2,645,000</td>
<td>3,960,000</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>@ Jamaica</td>
<td>Paramount+</td>
<td>–</td>
<td>Universo</td>
<td>200,000</td>
<td>200,000</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h3>Breaking down the numbers</h3>
<p>Many of these comparisons go against the previous year to see development. Based on the state of the world in 2020, that may not be fair. Therefore, comparisons to 2019 may seem more applicable to gauge the sport, and the USMNT’s, improvement of fallbacks.</p>
<p>In 2021, the USMNT averaged 745,625 viewers per game on English-language TV. This number represents an increase of 294% compared to 2020. However, that year, the USMNT played just three games, pulling in 189,333 viewers per game. More accurately, it marks a 1% increase of the ratings for 2019. That year, the US played 18 games on English TV. Additionally, this is the highest average since 2017, also the year before a World Cup. In 2017, the USMNT TV ratings averaged 819,842 throughout its 19 games.</p>
<p>For Spanish-language TV, an average of 1,061,421 viewers tuned in to the USMNT games this year. This is an astounding increase of 378% over a two-game average of 222,000 in 2020. But, again, the better comparison would be to 2019. This past year’s average Spanish viewership was an increase of 8% over an 18-game average of 981,556 back in 2019. And, just like the English viewing figures, 2021 was the best year for the USMNT on Spanish TV since 2017. An average of 1,138,579 watched the 19 games in that year.</p>
<p>At the end of the year, the total combined audience came out to 32,096,000. Over the 22 games, the average English- and Spanish-language audience came out to 1,528,381. On one hand, this is a stark 504% increase in average viewership compared to 2020. However, it is a surprising dip of 18% when compared to the average of 1,858,556 in 2019.</p>
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<div style="font-size: 10px; color: #cccccc;line-break: anywhere;word-break: normal;overflow: hidden;white-space: nowrap;text-overflow: ellipsis; font-family: Interstate,Lucida Grande,Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Sans,Garuda,Verdana,Tahoma,sans-serif;font-weight: 100;"><a href="https://soundcloud.com/worldsoccertalk" title="World Soccer Talk Podcast" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener">World Soccer Talk Podcast</a> · <a href="https://soundcloud.com/worldsoccertalk/the-state-of-the-usmnt" title="The State of the USMNT" target="_blank" style="color: #cccccc; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener">The State of the USMNT</a></div>


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