The 2026 FIFA World Cup final between Spain and Argentina drew 60 million combined viewers across North America, setting records for soccer viewership. Fox's English-language broadcast averaged 38.937 million viewers with a peak of 51.685 million, the most-watched English soccer telecast in U.S. history per Nielsen. Telemundo added 22.6 million Spanish-language viewers.

The tournament, hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, featured 48 teams and 104 games across 16 stadiums. Despite the U.S. elimination by Belgium in the round of 16, American viewership remained strong. Fox averaged 7.737 million viewers per broadcast across its platforms, up from 3.588 million in 2022. Stars like Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé, and Erling Haaland became household names.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino praised the hosts, citing nearly 7 million stadium spectators and an estimated 6 billion global viewers. Nielsen's expanded out-of-home measurement aimed to capture group viewing at watch parties. The expanded 48-team format delivered record attendance and ratings despite early logistical concerns.