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The FIFA World Cup 2026™ is already making history, and Canada is playing a major role in the tournament’s remarkable early success.
As the first FIFA World Cup™ ever hosted by three nations gets underway, more than one million fans have already attended matches in person. Off the pitch, television audiences have reached unprecedented levels, with more than 54 million viewers across Canada, Mexico and the United States tuning in to watch opening matches featuring the three Host Nations.
Canada’s opening match against Bosnia and Herzegovina highlighted the growing excitement surrounding the tournament from coast to coast. The game attracted an average audience of 3.1 million viewers across English and French-language broadcasters, making it the third most-watched FIFA World Cup™ match featuring Canada’s men’s national team in the 21st century. The strong ratings reflect the country’s growing passion for soccer as Canadians experience a men’s World Cup on home soil for the first time.
Speaking about the record-breaking figures, FIFA President Gianni Infantino called the opening days of the tournament “truly historic.”
“What we are witnessing here is truly historic. The United States’ opening match against Paraguay was the most-watched FIFA World Cup match ever broadcast in the United States, while more than 54 million people across Canada, Mexico and the United States watched their respective nations’ opening matches, shattering records and showing how football is truly uniting the world,” said Infantino.
He added: “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. The atmosphere, energy and passion I feel in these host countries is something incredibly special. The fans inside full stadiums, those watching at home, and some celebrating in the streets are all part of something unique.”
While Canada’s audience numbers demonstrated the sport’s continued rise in popularity, the tournament also generated record television audiences elsewhere across the continent.
In the United States, the host nation’s opening victory over Paraguay attracted an average audience of 27.5 million viewers across FOX and Telemundo, making it the most-watched FIFA World Cup™ match ever broadcast in the country. FOX recorded the largest audience ever for a FIFA Men’s World Cup™ match on English-language television in the United States, while Telemundo delivered the most-watched U.S. Men’s National Team FIFA World Cup™ match in Spanish-language television history.
Mexico’s opening win over South Africa also set new standards. The match drew an average audience of 23.4 million viewers, becoming the country’s most-watched FIFA World Cup™ game of the 21st century. It also achieved a remarkable 72.1 per cent television market share, meaning nearly three out of every four television viewers in Mexico were watching El Tri’s tournament opener. The match also attracted approximately 20 million viewers in the United States, where it became the most-watched Spanish-language FIFA World Cup™ opening match in U.S. television history.
The record audiences provide further evidence of the extraordinary momentum surrounding FIFA World Cup 2026™, with supporters across all three Host Nations embracing a tournament that is already delivering unforgettable moments both inside and outside the stadiums.
Quick Facts
- More than 54 million viewers tuned in across Canada, Mexico and the United States for the opening FIFA World Cup 2026™ matches featuring the three Host Nations.
- Canada’s opening match against Bosnia and Herzegovina attracted an average audience of 3.1 million viewers across English and French-language broadcasters, becoming the third most-watched FIFA World Cup™ match involving Canada’s men’s national team in the 21st century.
- The United States’ opening match against Paraguay drew a combined audience of 27.5 million viewers, making it the most-watched FIFA World Cup™ match ever broadcast in the country.
- Mexico’s opening victory over South Africa became the country’s most-watched FIFA World Cup™ game of the 21st century.
- Multiple national and international broadcast records were broken across English and Spanish-language television, underscoring the unprecedented reach of the first FIFA World Cup™ hosted by three nations.
For the latest tournament updates, follow FIFA on X (@fifamedia), Instagram (FIFA) and YouTube (FIFA).
All information and images provided by FIFA
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