Historic Match for U.S. Men’s National Team
Every time the U.S. men’s national soccer team plays, it draws considerable attention, but Wednesday’s match against Bosnia and Herzegovina marked a significant moment in history.
The game broadcast on Fox attracted an average of 24.43 million viewers, peaking at 31.88 million by the end, according to initial Nielsen data. This viewership set a record for the largest English-language audience for a soccer match in the United States.
The previous record was held by the 2015 Women’s World Cup final between the U.S. and Japan, which averaged around 22.32 million viewers. Telemundo’s Spanish language broadcast garnered 9.1 million viewers, bringing the total to 33.53 million, also setting a new record for a soccer match in the country.
Throughout this World Cup, viewership has been on the rise, breaking records since the opening matches. The excitement of this particular game was heightened as the U.S. achieved its first knockout stage victory since 2002, seeking redemption after a disappointing group stage performance against Turkiye.
On the other hand, Bosnia and Herzegovina entered the match hopeful to knock out the U.S. after advancing as the third-place team from Group B. Ultimately, the U.S. secured a 2-0 victory, but it came at a significant cost. Star striker Folarin Balogun received a controversial red card that sidelined him for the match against Bosnia and will also keep him out of the upcoming Round of 16 match against Belgium.
