The recent Copa America game between the United States and Bolivia set a new record in viewership, attracting an audience of 4.665 million across FOX Sports and TelevisaUnivision. The primetime broadcast slot at 6 p.m. ET proved to be a significant factor in this success.
Specifically, the USMNT's victory over Bolivia averaged 3.165 million viewers on the FOX broadcast channel alone. This figure marks it as the most-watched non-World Cup soccer telecast in FOX's history and also sets a new record for English-language broadcasts of Copa America games in US history.
Comparatively, the 2016 Copa America group-stage broadcasts featuring USMNT playing within the United States attracted an average of only 1.521 million viewers on Fox Sports 1 - making this year's game represent a whopping increase of 108%.
Boosted interest from United States fans
This game also demonstrated increased interest from US football fans, with coverage available on both FOX and TelevisaUnivision platforms. The last major tournament featuring USMNT was the Gold Cup in 2023 which saw significantly lower numbers compared to this year’s win over Bolivia – marking an impressive increase by almost double (191%) against Trinidad and Tobago.
TelevisaUnivision has been successful with its Spanish-language broadcasts during both Euros and Copa America tournaments as well, particularly with their coverage of USA vs Bolivia match aired on Univision and TUDN channels.
The broadcaster reported an average viewership of approximately 1.5 million for Sunday’s contest alone - contributing to a combined total audience figure reaching up to nearly five million (4.665) for that particular match-up.
However, these figures were still lower than Mexico and Argentina matches. The Mexico vs Jamaica game, for instance, averaged 2.5 million viewers - making it the most-watched telecast of the year on Spanish-language TV.
A summer of success in USA
The English-language coverage of this summer's soccer tournaments has been immensely successful, with FOX reporting high numbers of fans tuning in to watch both the Euros and Copa America.
The USMNT’s participation in Copa America along with an increase in the number of teams participating have significantly boosted viewership figures. Additionally, the quality and star power associated with top teams competing in the European Championship round of 16 are expected to continue setting record viewership figures.
These record-breaking numbers demonstrate a growing interest in soccer among American audiences – a positive sign for broadcasters like FOX Sports and TelevisaUnivision who hold rights to these major tournaments.
