Argentina’s dramatic victory over England at the FIFA World Cup 2026 continues to rewrite history, setting a new U.S. television audience record ahead of the final against Spain.
The excitement surrounding the FIFA World Cup 2026 has reached unprecedented levels in the United States, with Argentina’s dramatic 2-1 victory over England becoming the most-watched Men’s World Cup semi-final ever broadcast in English-language television history.
According to Fox Sports, Wednesday’s semi-final attracted an average audience of 15.063 million viewers, surpassing the record established just 24 hours earlier by Spain’s clash with France, which averaged 11.462 million viewers. The extraordinary figures underline the growing popularity of international football across the U.S., particularly during a tournament being co-hosted by the country.
The match, played in Atlanta, delivered one of the tournament’s most dramatic finishes. England appeared to be on course for a place in the final after Anthony Gordon opened the scoring in the 55th minute following an assist from Morgan Rogers. However, the reigning world champions produced a remarkable late comeback that instantly became one of the defining moments of the competition.
With just minutes remaining, Enzo Fernández equalised in the 87th minute to reignite Argentina’s hopes. Then, in stoppage time, Lionel Messi delivered another decisive contribution, providing the assist for Lautaro Martínez, whose winning goal secured a stunning 2-1 victory and sent Argentina into a second consecutive World Cup final.
The drama translated directly into television audiences. The broadcast peaked at 22.177 million viewers between 4:45 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. ET, making it not only the biggest World Cup semi-final audience in English-language U.S. television history, but also the most-watched Wednesday afternoon broadcast ever for Fox.
The audience growth compared with the previous tournament has been remarkable. The broadcast averaged 131% more viewers than the average audience for the 2022 FIFA World Cup semi-finals on Fox, which stood at 6.531 million. Even when compared with the previous standalone record-holder — France vs Morocco in 2022, watched by 6.595 million viewers — the increase highlights just how significantly interest in the tournament has expanded.
The record-breaking audience also reflects the enduring global appeal of Lionel Messi, whose pursuit of another World Cup title continues to captivate football fans far beyond Argentina. Alongside the country’s reputation as the defending champions, the dramatic nature of the comeback helped create one of the tournament’s most memorable television spectacles.
For England, meanwhile, the defeat extends a painful wait for international glory. The Three Lions have now gone six decades without lifting the World Cup since their historic triumph in 1966, despite repeatedly coming close in recent major tournaments.
Attention now turns to what promises to be one of the most anticipated finals in recent memory, as Argentina prepare to face Spain for the FIFA World Cup 2026 title. With television audiences already reaching record-breaking levels before the tournament’s conclusion, Sunday’s final is widely expected to become one of the most-watched football broadcasts ever shown in the United States.
