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Viewing of Women’s World Cup Final Peaks in US without Involvement of American Team

by Joshua Brown
5 comments
Women's World Cup viewership

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The 1-0 win of Spain over England in the recent Women’s World Cup final marked a significant event on U.S. television, being the most viewed match that did not feature the American team.

The triumph of La Roja, with a total audience of 2,059,000 watching on Fox and Telemundo in both English and Spanish, showed a remarkable increase compared to the previous non-U.S. final. The 2007 match between Germany and Brazil in China had averaged 664,000 on ESPN2. However, this audience figure did not come close to the last three finals involving the U.S., where viewership exceeded 13 million.

The final in 2019 between the U.S. and the Netherlands, played in France, attracted an average combined audience of 16.9 million on the same channels. The recent final held in Australia demonstrated an 87.8% drop compared to the figures four years earlier.

Fox recorded an average of 1,658,000 viewers, peaking at 2.45 million in the final 15 minutes, while Telemundo reported an average of 401,000 through its various platforms.

The past record for a Women’s World Cup final without U.S. participation was in 2003, with 1.2 million viewers on ABC, witnessing Germany defeat Sweden. That tournament was hosted in the U.S. for the second consecutive time.

Factors such as the early start time and the United States’ premature departure contributed to sharp declines in the viewing numbers for both the finals and the entire tournament. The Sydney match commenced at 6 a.m. EDT, and with Australia and New Zealand being 14 to 19 hours ahead of U.S. time zones, most matches were played during overnight hours in America.

Even if the U.S. had reached the final, aiming for a third consecutive title, the ratings would have been lower compared to the 2019 tournament in France and the 2015 event in Canada.

The total 64 matches of the tournament averaged 669,000 viewers on Fox and FS1, indicating a 60% decline from 2019 (1.66 million), while the Spanish-language average viewership across various platforms was down by 44% (167,000) from four years prior. Notably, Telemundo saw a surge in viewership thanks to Spain’s successful run and Colombia’s advance to the quarterfinals.

Interestingly, the four games involving the American team averaged 3,795,000 on Fox, marking a 2% increase from 2019.

The first two matches were scheduled in prime time, including a 1-1 draw against the Netherlands on July 26, which became the most-watched U.S. group stage match in the history of the Women’s World Cup, with an average of 6,429,000 viewers.


For more World Cup coverage, visit FIFA Women’s World Cup at Big Big News.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Women’s World Cup viewership

What was the significance of Spain’s 1-0 victory over England in the Women’s World Cup final?

Spain’s 1-0 victory over England in the Women’s World Cup final was the most-watched final in the U.S. that did not include the American team. It had a combined English and Spanish audience of 2,059,000 on Fox and Telemundo.

How does the viewership of this final compare to previous non-U.S. finals?

The viewership was substantially higher than the previous record for a non-U.S. final in 2003, where 1.2 million watched Germany beat Sweden. The recent final’s viewership marked a significant increase from the 2007 final between Germany and Brazil, which averaged 664,000.

Did this final’s viewership exceed that of the finals involving the U.S. team?

No, the recent final’s viewership was not close to the last three finals involving the U.S. team, where the audience exceeded 13 million.

How did the overall viewership of the tournament compare to previous years?

The tournament’s 64 matches averaged 669,000 viewers on Fox and FS1, a 60% decrease from 2019. Spanish-language viewership was also down by 44% from four years earlier.

What were the factors that may have influenced the viewership numbers?

Factors like the early start time, the timing difference between Australia/New Zealand and the U.S., and the U.S. team’s early exit contributed to declines in viewership for the finals and the entire tournament.

How did the American team’s matches perform in terms of viewership?

The American team’s four matches averaged 3,795,000 viewers on Fox, an increase of 2% from 2019. The 1-1 draw against the Netherlands was the most-watched U.S. group stage match in Women’s World Cup history.

Where can I find more coverage of the Women’s World Cup?

More detailed coverage of the Women’s World Cup can be found on FIFA Women’s World Cup at Big Big News.

More about Women’s World Cup viewership

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5 comments

Sarah Lee August 23, 2023 - 6:33 am

I think the time difference really killed the viewership. Starting at 6 a.m. EDT? Who’s gonna wake up that early to watch a game? Timing is everything in TV.

Reply
Linda Jackson August 23, 2023 - 11:36 am

That increase in viewership for the American team’s matches is interesting. Maybe the U.S. is starting to pay more attention to women’s soccer after all. Hope it keeps growing.

Reply
Tom Riddle August 23, 2023 - 12:03 pm

I didn’t even know the women’s world cup was going on! They should have marketed it better. Definitely would’ve watched if i knew.

Reply
Jane Smith August 23, 2023 - 8:16 pm

Wow, I can’t believe the ratings were so low this year. What happened? Even though the US team wasn’t in the finals, I thought more people would be watching.

Reply
Mike Harris August 23, 2023 - 8:41 pm

its crazy to think that the most watched match didnt even include the US. shows how global the game has become. people love their soccer, no matter who’s playing!

Reply

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