Messi's Inter Miami keys early Club World Cup viewership on TNT

3BM4A9H Miami Gardens, Vereinigte Staaten. 24th June, 2025. Marcos Rocha (SE Palmeiras Sao Paulo, #2) spielt den Ball vor Lionel Messi (Inter Miami, #10) weg. FIFA Club World Cup: Inter Miami CF - SE Palmeiras 23.06.2025, FIFA Club World Cup: Inter Miami CF - SE Palmeiras im Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida, USA/dpa/Alamy Live News

Younger, if smaller, audience for first season of NASCAR on Prime

Jon Lewis

Jon Lewis has been covering the sports media industry on a daily basis since 2006 as the founder and main writer of Sports Media Watch. You can contact him here or on the social media websites X (Twitter) or Bluesky.

Brazil's Vinicius Junior (7) celebrates a goal iduring the World Cup Group C soccer match between Brazil and Morocco in East Rutherford, N.J., near New York, Saturday, June 13, 2026. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

Brazil-Morocco dominant viewership draw as World Cup continues hot start

by Jon Lewis

1 day ago

After milestone audiences for Mexico last Thursday and the United States on Friday, Brazil kept the momentum going into...

United States' Folarin Balogun, right, scores as Paraguay's Omar Alderete watches during the World Cup Group D soccer match in Inglewood, Calif., near Los Angeles, Friday, June 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Jayne Kamin-Oncea)

USMNT opener sets viewership marks on English, Spanish-language TV

by Jon Lewis

5 days ago

The first United States World Cup match on home soil in more than three decades delivered on both English...

Ratings: Gold Cup, golf, Summer League and more

by Jon Lewis

3 years ago

An unsurprising decline for the Concacaf Gold Cup final.

Los Angeles, CA - July 12, 2023 - Dolby Theater: Pat McAfee during the 2023 ESPYS presented by Capital One.
(Photo by Joshua Gateley / ESPN Images)

Ratings: ESPYs, US Women’s Open, racing and more

by Jon Lewis

3 years ago

ESPY Awards viewership declined once again.

Comments 27

BG says:

12 months ago

Jon- any update from Round of 16 matches especially the Inter Miami vs PSG? That should easily be the highest rated game so far.
- Jon Lewis says:
  
  12 months ago
  
  I’ll hopefully have something to post on that front today.
Caleb says:

12 months ago

If it’s getting those numbers on TNT I wonder what numbers it’s achieving on DAZN
ESL says:

12 months ago

Thanks for these numbers, Jon. Impressive considering the “club World Cup” was never really promoted in this country (as a casual soccer fan, I was not aware of this tournament). The Messi factor will be big as long as Miami continues. As noted, the round of 16 game on Sunday between PSG and Miami should get a million. The further Miami goes, the better the viewership. The opportunity to see Messi on linear tv will help. He is “lost in the cloud” in MLS.
Regarding the US in the Gold Cup, the viewership of 1 million viewers last Sunday night is impressive, considering it was up against game 7 of the NBA finals. With no serious competition, this Sunday nights US game has an opportunity to be considerably higher and close to 2 million viewers. And just a note, Fox does a terrific job with their international soccer coverage. They really make these small tournaments feel like big events (and it would be better for the Club World Cup if it was on Fox.).
- gattaca says:
  
  12 months ago
  
  Casuals may like Fox’s soccer coverage of World Cup, Euros and Gold Cup.
  
  But core fans largely despise Fox in the same vein as NBA on ESPN. They can’t stand Lalas and Carli LLoyd for their hot takes approach and political leanings. Many of their PxP and match analysts just talk way too much and aren’t always informed about the teams. The coverage is too dumbed down.
  
  Fox is out of club football ex getting MLS for peanuts but don’t control matches shown. Looked like a good strategy but have been outbid by Netflix for WWC 2027 and 2031.
  - ESL says:
    
    12 months ago
    
    Surprised there is so much negativity towards Fox soccer coverage. As I noted, I think they do a tremendous job on their international coverage (I dont pay attention to their MLS since that is licensed and they have no investment in it). Regarding the studio cover, Lalas and Lloyd do a fin job and Rob Stone is a very good host. I also think their broadcast teams are very good and informative.
    - ds says:
      
      12 months ago
      
      I suspect part of the issue is the partial overlap between people who follow national games and people who follow club games. The national game audience tends to peak at higher numbers while being far more fickle/casual than the club game audience. For someone who enjoys EPL Saturdays on NBC and mid-week UCL on Paramount+, FOX’ coverage could be infuriating. Much of FOX’ peak audience may need a refresher on offside, and coverage is geared towards casual, occasional fans. FOX are also extreme homers for USMNT and USWNT. It is all probably good business decisions given FOX’ 2025-2026 soccer properties, but it also alienates some core soccer fans
- JONATHAN MENDOZA says:
  
  12 months ago
  
  Thank you so much for providing these articles on football (the real one) and not on American football or racing or golf. For me, I am a hardcore football or soccer fan rooting for Seattle, but was one of those watching on TUDN in Spanish for Inter Miami since I have the Spanish plan on YouTube TV. Unfortunately, Fifa has been rooting for Miami from the get-go and there was no national TV networks for Seattle or for LAFC only on DAZN and I don’t have access to this on my laptop since my browser can’t be updated. However, I really like to know how many more we’re watching on TUDN considering Miami is literally full of Spanish language and Latin Americans let alone the team full of Argentines and South Americans so TUDN delivers may perhaps deliver a more better approach among the Latin American communities especially with soccer or football being a super popular sport (as for me and my dad).
- Nate Johnson says:
  
  12 months ago
  
  I’m late but seeing this discussion reminds me of what I think of NFL and College Football. It seems to be terrific for casuals, but a bypass to me on most personalities (or vice versa).
  
  FOX has done terrific with FIFA coverage, but it’s something about 2014 Men’s FIFA where I thought ESPN/ABC did a phenomenal job and the bar high. I don’t think FOX has had coverage compared to that, but then again FOX has never had the deck of cards that ESPN/ABC got in 2014. In 2018 when the USMNT was not a participant in FIFA, I thought they did a terrific job which let me know they earned their credibility on covering the event. They of course have shifted since from an analysis standpoint, but the way FOX covers FIFA doesn’t question me if they’re taking it granted like ESPN/ABC takes the NBA (to a certain point) and MLB for granted.
NaBUru38 says:

12 months ago

Meanwhile in Spain’s Telecinco:
* Inter Miami vs Porto averaged 1.38 M viewers and a 12.9% share.
* Real Madrid vs Pachuca averaged 3.0 M viewers and a 27.1% share.
* Atlético Madrid vs Botafogo averaged 1.89 M viewers and a 18.7% share.

Source: Fórmula TV
- scott says:
  
  12 months ago
  
  thanks for this but where’s this ??
ds says:

12 months ago

Thank you for sharing English-linear soccer data. Univision used to be very vocal about its soccer viewership, but seems significantly quieter in the past few years. Any idea whether that is declining TUDN soccer viewership or greater corporate circumspection or something else?
- Jon Lewis says:
  
  12 months ago
  
  I hope to have something to report re: Univision soon. Honestly it might just be different approaches rather than anything to do with lower ratings.
  - ds says:
    
    12 months ago
    
    FYI, Univision released select Spanish-language US soccer viewership numbers: Mexico-Costa Rica group stage (2.2 million total, 1.0 million A18-49), US-Costa Rica QF (1.9 million total, 0.9 million A18-49), and PSG-Inter Miami R16 (0.8 million total, 0.3 million A18-49).
    - Jon Lewis says:
      
      12 months ago
      
      Thanks — hadn’t seen that.
    - BG says:
      
      12 months ago
      
      That give us almost 1.5 million on Linear TV with English and Spanish audience. We don’t have DAZN numbers- so, maybe over 2 million with all formats is not out of reach.
ljc says:

12 months ago

This tournament exceeded expectation in terms of viewership and even with the original high costs, attendance. Seeing clubs from South America, Asia and Africa play these huge European teams is great. The fans are really enjoying themselves. I would love to see it as a biannual event so international football can dominate the mid-June to mid-July calendar (if they can get the world cup for that time as well).
- ds says:
  
  12 months ago
  
  Club World Cup sought $4 billion of media rights and planned to sell out NFL-size stadiums at hundreds of dollars per seat. After a more or less failed auction, Infantino got DAZN to pay $1 billion (DAZN does not have much cash, thus sub-licensing). Many stadiums have been well over half empty despite, in many cases, very low ticket prices. FIFA I am sure will tout this as a great success – FIFA never lack for confidence and never let reality cloud their public statements – but CWC has so far drawn about as much US interest as 2024 European club friendlies. Knockouts should do better I would think, and there may be long-term potential for Club World Cup if FIFA can generate and monetize interest from South America, Middle East, Asia, etc. Biannual would be hard and would have to work around men’s/women’s World Cup, Copa, Euro, Olympics, etc.
  - Rick James Bible Owner says:
    
    12 months ago
    
    South American teams, really, the other Federations teams always treated smaller, Winter iterations of the Club World Cup with more reverance and importance. The European representatives? Less so, complaining of fixture congestion even with the bye to the Semis of the 6 or 7 team versions. Yeah, Mr. Eyebrows though he could get similar crowds to those (mid to late) July Charlie Stilitano-led (whom I’m not a fan of) prestige friendlies at the Rose Bowl, Michigan Stadium or the Hard Rock of the late 2010s in order to help fund the prize money they had to give out to get more (European) teams to participate in this expanded CWC. No Cristiano Ronaldo hurt this tournament as well. It’s got potential, but like the Four Nations Cup in hockey, it can really only exist to fill the void when no other International events are ongoing.
  - Mike says:
    
    12 months ago
    
    Exactly, I wouldn’t really call the ratings a success either, considering that they only show a few matches on tv and that’s it.
  - ljc says:
    
    12 months ago
    
    one person posted the numbers in Spain. If they are getting 1m+ there, I wouldn’t be surprised if the numbers were solid in France, Portugal and Germany. I wouldn’t expect much from England and Italy.
    
    As reported by the BBC, millions are watching the games in Brazil due to the success of the 3 Rio based clubs. The same goes for Japan, Egypt, Tunisia, South Africa and of course Saudi Arabia whose team Al Hilal reached the round of 16. The money for the tournament will remain with or without the US.
  - BG says:
    
    12 months ago
    
    Remember, this tournament was reset and with more teams. The next one will get more traction and more will bid for the rights. TNT sports is getting good numbers when we know we have free streaming with DAZN and also on Spanish. The 2029 version will get bigger and FIFA will learn from certain mistakes. The big games have sold out and they should start get numbers going into the knockout rounds
    - Rick James Bible Owner says:
      
      12 months ago
      
      “The 2029 version will get bigger and FIFA will learn from certain mistakes.” Not if this expanded Club World Cup in 2029 goes back to the Winter in Qatar. A month with no (or limited) League play for the European clubs involved. Less U.S. exposure (and possible new $) as the CWC will be enveloped by Lords Football (NFL & College) like December versions were in the past. At least Mr. Eyebrows won’t have to no-bid the TV rights to the next CWC like this did the 2026 World Cup to Fox. And as a dress rehearsal to next year’s World Cup, it’s been a mixed bag at best. No amount of prize money can turn these glorified “prestige friendlies” into something prestigious. Ask Javier Mascherano & Inter Miami.
    - Richard says:
      
      12 months ago
      
      The 2029 CWC is far more likely to go to Spain/Portugal/Morocco or Brazil and be held in the summer of 2029 (the heat, ironically, wouldn’t be as much of a concern in Brazil, where it would be winter, especially in southern Brazil).
NaBUru38 says:

12 months ago

It’s “Pachuca”. Beware that your typo rhymes with a dirty word…
- Jon Lewis says:
  
  12 months ago
  
  Thanks for catching that.
BG says:

12 months ago

Thanks Jon- i think this Sunday Round of 16 between PSG and Miami should pull at least 1 million viewers on TNT. The Spanish numbers and DAZN streaming numbers could mean over 2 million very easily.