America's World Cup spectacle smashes expectations

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is delivering historic viewership in the United States. The USA-Belgium match drew fifty point one million viewers—the largest soccer audience ever recorded in America—even in a four-to-one loss, per Axios. Mexico-England attracted forty-six point seven million. Stadiums across the three host nations have filled to near capacity, with over seven point seven million fans visiting FIFA Fan Festivals. The on-field action has been spectacular: Jude Bellingham's England knocked out Norway, Argentina escaped disaster multiple times, and Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé are tied atop the scoring race with eight goals each. But controversy has shadowed the tournament. Axios reports President Trump asked FIFA to review Folarin Balogun's red-card suspension before the USA-Belgium match. The intervention sparked global backlash, but the USA lost decisively anyway—and Belgium's players mocked Trump afterward. The question now: whether America's sudden soccer passion will outlast the tournament. Interest in soccer typically spikes during World Cups and fades quickly when they end.

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