Football's growing popularity in the United States has reached new heights, with nearly 63 million Americans tuning in to witness Spain triumph over Argentina in the World Cup final on Sunday, setting a new viewership record.

The final, hosted in New Jersey, concluded with a narrow 1-0 victory for La Roja, courtesy of Ferran Torres’ extra-time goal, marking Spain's second World Cup title.

Key viewership statistics include:

• Fox’s English-language broadcast attracted 38.9 million viewers.
• Comcast’s Telemundo and its Peacock streaming platform contributed an additional 23.9 million viewers for the Spanish-language broadcast.

This combined audience of 62.8 million significantly exceeded the 22.3 million viewers who watched the 2022 World Cup final in Qatar, showcasing a remarkable increase in engagement.

Analysts have praised the tournament's success for broadcasters, noting that several knockout matches outperformed recent championship games in other major US sports. For example:

• The round of 16 match between England and Mexico drew nearly 45 million viewers, outpacing the 27 million who watched Game Seven of the World Series and the 25 million for Game Five of the NBA Finals.

While these figures do not match the staggering 126 million viewers of Super Bowl LX, they represent a significant milestone for a sport that has historically been overshadowed in the US.

The strong showing on Telemundo also emphasizes football's appeal among Hispanic audiences. Vicente Navarro, managing partner at GotDigital, noted that ratings exceeded internal forecasts, with 30-second advertising spots during knockout-stage matches costing as much as $1 million, more than double the rates from 2018.

Looking ahead, the next World Cup will be co-hosted by Spain, Portugal, and Morocco in 2030, followed by Saudi Arabia in 2034. However, less favorable kickoff times for US viewers may influence future ratings despite the sport's current surge.