Mexico-England most watched non-US English-language WC match in US history

FE Team | Published: July 09, 2026 21:56:44

The match between England and Mexico in the round of 16 has become the most-watched World Cup game not involving the US broadcast in English in the country's history, report agencies.
The network said on Wednesday an average of more than 21.7 million tuned in to watch England's 3-2 victory in Mexico City on Sunday night. That tops the previous record of the final between Argentina and France in 2022, which was seen by 16.7 million.
Fox said the audience peaked at more than 25.7 million from 10:15-10:30 p.m. Eastern time. The US-Belgium game the following night is the most-watched at 30 million.
More than 44 million people in the US watched the Mexico vs. England game - a staggering 23.2 million total audience on Telemundo, along with the 21.742 million who watched on Fox.
The 21.7 million watching on Fox made it the most-watched U.S. English-language World Cup telecast ever that didn't feature the USMNT. (The 30 million viewers on Fox for the USMNT loss on Monday made it the most-watched English-language soccer game ever broadcast in the US)
But adding in the 23.2 million on Telemundo (now the most-watched Spanish-language soccer telecast in US history) takes the total for Mexico vs. England to 44.8 million, beyond the 42 million estimated across Fox and Telemundo for the US-Belgium game.
The atmosphere at the Azteca on Sunday was as intense as any in the 2026 tournament, featuring one team (England) with a relatively large fanbase in the U.S. and one team (Mexico) with an absolutely massive one. That is in addition to it being a dramatic round-of-16 knockout showdown, with England attempting to earn a win against a Mexico team that historically simply didn't lose in that stadium. The audience on Fox peaked near the game's thrilling conclusion at 25.715 viewers - with England, down to 10 men, attempting to hold a lead and hold off El Tri.
Viewers in the US have been tuning in en masse throughout the tournament, delivering audiences in the eight figures for a series of games. With some of the biggest brands still alive in the tournament, the four quarterfinal games will draw big numbers, if not any that will top Sunday's game in Mexico City or Monday's game in Seattle.