Considering the Super Bowl is just one day and that the World Cup spans longer than a month, the viewership data favors the latter. In the 2026 tournament, the viewership is predicted to surpass 5 billion people across the world, making that an average of 128.2 million per day across 39 days.

Viewership for previous World Cup finals was only a little higher than for a strong Monday Night Football game, but with matches on U.S. soil, media executives are hopeful this will be the year soccer breaks through.

FIFA's major expansion of the World Cup has not drawn universal praise, but it is a significant boost for Fox Corp. and NBCUniversal-owned Telemundo.

Nearly eight years to the day since the 2026 FIFA World Cup was awarded to the United States, Mexico, and Canada, and the opening day of competition is finally here. At 3 p.m. ET on Thursday, Mexico will kick off this summer’s World Cup against South Africa at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.

Viewers blamed Americans and FIFA for changing a longstanding national anthem position ahead of Mexico's opening 2026 World Cup game against South Africa in Mexico City

We're only one day into the 2026 World Cup, and US broadcasters are already receiving sharp criticism for the decision to shoehorn in adverts at every possible opportunity. Last night (11 June) saw the tournament kick off in Mexico City,

"Over the next six weeks, there will be unforgettable goals, shocking upsets, controversial officiating decisions, viral moments, and storylines that dominate conversations around the globe. Some of those memories will fade.

Four strategies to keep viewers watching Fox One, its direct-to-consumer streaming service, long after the 2026 World Cup ends in July.