A woman wearing a dress featuring the Senegal flag is pictured in Times Square ahead of the 2026 World Cup football match between France and Senegal in New York City.
Image: AFP
More than 54 million people across Canada, Mexico and the United States tuned in to watch their nations kick off their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaigns, shattering television records across the Americas.
The tournament has exploded into life both inside packed stadiums and in living rooms across North America, with opening matches involving the three host nations attracting unprecedented broadcast audiences.
The largest viewership of the opening round came from the United States' clash against Paraguay. The host nation's victory drew a combined average audience of 27.5 million viewers across FOX and Telemundo, making it the most-watched football match ever broadcast in US history.
The milestone reflects the growing influence of the game in a country traditionally dominated by American football, basketball and baseball. FOX reported its largest audience ever for a men's World Cup match in English, while Telemundo achieved its highest viewership for a United States men's national team fixture on Spanish-language television.
Mexico also enjoyed massive domestic support as El Tri opened their campaign with a victory over South Africa. The match attracted an average audience of 23.4 million viewers, making it Mexico's most-watched World Cup fixture of the 21st century.
The game commanded a staggering 72.1 per cent television market share, meaning nearly three out of every four people watching television in Mexico were tuned into the action.
Meanwhile, Canada's opening clash against Bosnia and Herzegovina drew an average audience of 3.1 million viewers across English and French-language broadcasters. The figures secured its place as the third most-watched World Cup match involving Canada's men's national team this century.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino hailed the broadcasting figures as historic, stating they demonstrate the unique power of football to unite global audiences. Infantino noted that the tournament is not only generating extraordinary data but also creating unforgettable moments for millions of supporters watching from stadiums, homes, fan zones and city streets.
"What we are witnessing here is truly historic," Infantino explained. "These figures tell you everything about what this tournament means to these countries, this continent and the entire world. However, this is not just about numbers — this is about millions of people from every corner of the world coming together through football."
With more than one million fans already attending matches in person across the opening week, FIFA officials believe the record television audiences provide further proof that the 48-team expansion is on track to become the most widely followed sporting event in history.