Most-watched World Cup matches, by era
Nielsen average audience, one figure per telecast; a final or revised figure replaces a preliminary one. Composites, peaks, reach and self-reported figures do not chart.
93
eligible telecasts
updated 2026-09-15
Before Out-of-Home (1950–2020)
1
2014 FIFA World Cup United States–Portugal
18,200,000
2
World Cup final, Argentina vs Germany
17,300,000
3
2014 FIFA World Cup Belgium–United States
16,500,000
4
World Cup final, Croatia vs France
12,510,000
5
2014 FIFA World Cup Ghana–United States
11,100,000
6
2014 FIFA World Cup United States–Germany
10,800,000
7
2018 FIFA World Cup Germany–Mexico
7,120,000
8
2014 FIFA World Cup Croatia–Mexico
7,100,000
9
2014 FIFA World Cup Netherlands–Argentina
6,800,000
10
2018 FIFA World Cup South Korea–Mexico
6,600,000
11
2014 FIFA World Cup Netherlands–Mexico
6,500,000
12
2014 FIFA World Cup Costa Rica–Greece
6,400,000
13
2018 FIFA World Cup Russia–Croatia
6,320,000
14
2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil–Chile
6,100,000
15
2018 FIFA World Cup Uruguay–Portugal
5,880,000
16
2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil–Germany
5,800,000
17
2014 FIFA World Cup Germany–Ghana
5,700,000
18
2014 FIFA World Cup Colombia–Uruguay
5,400,000
19
2018 FIFA World Cup Germany–Sweden
5,400,000
20
2014 FIFA World Cup Argentina–Belgium
5,200,000
21
2018 FIFA World Cup Spain–Russia
5,120,000
22
2018 FIFA World Cup Brazil–Mexico
5,000,000
23
2014 FIFA World Cup France–Germany
4,900,000
24
2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil–Netherlands
4,700,000
25
2018 FIFA World Cup Mexico–Sweden
4,400,000
26
2018 FIFA World Cup Belgium–Japan
3,500,000
27
2018 FIFA World Cup Belgium–England
3,330,000
28
2018 FIFA World Cup Argentina–Iceland
2,970,000
29
2018 FIFA World Cup Portugal–Spain
2,900,000
30
2018 FIFA World Cup Argentina–Croatia
2,030,000
31
2018 FIFA World Cup Russia–Saudi Arabia
1,700,000
32
2018 FIFA World Cup Costa Rica–Serbia
1,700,000
32 eligible telecasts · computed 2026-09-15 11:00 UTC
Panel + Out-of-Home (2020–2025)
1
World Cup final, Argentina vs France
16,780,000
2
2022 FIFA World Cup Netherlands–United States
12,970,000
3
2022 FIFA World Cup Iran–United States
12,010,000
4
2022 FIFA World Cup England–France
8,860,000
5
2022 FIFA World Cup United States–Wales
8,310,000
6
UEFA Euro 2024 Spain–England
7,170,000
7
2022 FIFA World Cup France–Morocco
6,590,000
8
2022 FIFA World Cup Argentina–Croatia
6,470,000
9
2022 FIFA World Cup Brazil–Serbia
6,190,000
10
UEFA Euro 2024 Portugal–France
4,280,000
11
2024 Copa América United States–Uruguay
3,780,000
12
2024 Copa América United States–Bolivia
3,200,000
13
UEFA Euro 2020 Belgium–Portugal
2,650,000
14
2024 Copa América Panama–United States
2,470,000
15
UEFA Euro 2024 Germany–Denmark
2,200,000
16
UEFA Euro 2024 Portugal–Slovenia
2,190,000
17
2024 Copa América Uruguay–Colombia
2,150,000
18
2024 Copa América Uruguay–Brazil
2,140,000
19
UEFA Euro 2020 Italy–Austria
2,080,000
20
2024 Copa América Argentina–Canada
1,990,000
21
UEFA Euro 2024 Belgium–Romania
1,880,000
22
2024 Copa América Argentina–Ecuador
1,870,000
23
UEFA Euro 2024 Serbia–England
1,830,000
24
UEFA Euro 2024 Spain–Italy
1,810,000
25
UEFA Euro 2024 Switzerland–Germany
1,810,000
26
2024 Copa América Mexico–Ecuador
1,770,000
27
UEFA Euro 2024 England–Slovenia
1,610,000
28
UEFA Euro 2020 France–Germany
1,500,000
29
UEFA Euro 2024 Italy–Albania
1,430,000
30
UEFA Euro 2020 Belgium–Russia
1,400,000
31
2024 Copa América Venezuela–Canada
1,400,000
32
UEFA Euro 2024 Scotland–Switzerland
1,230,000
33
2024 Copa América Colombia–Panama
1,190,000
34
UEFA Euro 2024 Denmark–England
1,150,000
35
2024 Copa América Chile–Argentina
1,150,000
36
UEFA Euro 2024 Germany–Scotland
1,100,000
37
2024 Copa América Argentina–Canada
1,060,000
38
UEFA Euro 2024 Ukraine–Belgium
1,050,000
38 eligible telecasts · computed 2026-09-15 11:00 UTC
Big Data + Panel (2025–current)
1 eligible telecast · computed 2026-09-15 11:00 UTC
Era unstated
1
Belgium at United States
33,090,000
2
England at Norway
21,796,000
3
England at Mexico
21,742,000
4
Switzerland at Argentina
18,152,000
5
Paraguay at United States
18,040,000
6
Argentina at England
16,900,000
7
England at France
13,130,000
8
Spain at France
13,108,000
9
Mexico at Czechia
12,300,000
10
Morocco at Brazil
11,200,000
11
Croatia at Portugal
11,107,000
12
Morocco at Netherlands
10,579,000
13
Ecuador at Mexico
10,430,000
14
Morocco at France
10,252,000
15
Spain at Portugal
10,048,000
16
Belgium at Spain
9,866,000
17
Paraguay at Germany
8,351,000
18
Egypt at Argentina
7,304,000
19
South Africa at Mexico
7,186,000
20
Croatia at England
6,776,000
21
Austria at Spain
6,523,000
22
Norway at Iraq
5,909,000
22 eligible telecasts · computed 2026-09-15 11:00 UTC