Fox reveals the U.S. cities that watched the World Cup the most
Awful Announcing • • sports
Key Points:
- Kansas City led U.S. cities in interest for the FIFA World Cup, with an average 4.89 household rating and 20% share for Fox's English-language coverage, reflecting its reputation as "the Soccer Capital of America."
- Other top markets with ratings above 3.5 included Boston, Austin, San Francisco, Dallas, San Diego, and Atlanta, with San Francisco having the highest share at 21%.
- The ratings exclude out-of-home viewing, which Nielsen tracks separately, potentially underrepresenting total viewership.
- The data suggests potential for targeted youth soccer development in cities showing strong World Cup interest, especially as the youth soccer system faces scrutiny.
- Only one of the top seven markets by rating, San Francisco, lacks an MLS team but hosted six World Cup matches, highlighting its soccer engagement; these ratings may serve as a benchmark for measuring the impact of the 2026 World Cup on U.S. soccer interest.
