World Cup 2026: The Global Viewing Scramble

The 2026 World Cup is going to be massive, stretching across 16 cities in three countries – the US, Canada, and Mexico. That expanded 48-team format means 104 games, a significant jump from the 64 matches we saw in Qatar in 2022. For broadcasters, it’s a goldmine, and the rights deals reflect that. In the United States, FOX Sports still holds the English-language rights, a deal they locked down through 2026 for an estimated $425 million back in 2011, then extended in 2015 for another reported $400 million that included the 2026 and 2030 tournaments. Telemundo Deportes, part of NBCUniversal, has the Spanish-language rights, paying around $600 million for their package that runs through 2026. This setup means American viewers will mostly tune into FOX and FS1 for English commentary, while Telemundo and Universo carry the Spanish broadcasts.

Cord-cutting, obviously, is a huge factor this time around. Look, the days of everyone having cable are over. In 2023, roughly 7 million Americans cut the cord, bringing the total number of pay-TV households down to about 50 million. That's a steep decline from over 100 million a decade ago. FOX understands this. While the main matches will be on their linear channels, you can bet their streaming app, FOX Sports App, will be heavily promoted for live streams. For Telemundo, Peacock Premium will be the go-to for streaming. A Peacock Premium subscription runs about $5.99 a month, or $59.99 annually, offering access to all their World Cup games live. For those without cable, services like Sling TV, Hulu + Live TV, and FuboTV will carry FOX and Telemundo, with packages generally starting around $40-$75 per month.

North of the border, Canada’s viewing situation is dominated by Bell Media, who secured the English-language rights for the 2026 tournament. That means TSN and CTV will be the primary linear broadcasters. RDS will handle the French-language coverage. Their previous World Cup deal for 2018 and 2022 was reportedly in the range of $50 million. Expect their 2026 package, with more games and home turf advantage, to be significantly higher. TSN Direct and CTV.ca will offer streaming options, likely requiring a cable subscription login or a direct streaming pass, much like their current offerings for other major sports events. Given Canada’s smaller population of around 40 million, viewership numbers, while strong, won't rival the US.

In Mexico, TelevisaUnivision holds the rights. They’ve been the traditional home for World Cup coverage south of the border for decades. Their 2026 deal, like the US Spanish-language rights, was part of a larger package. TUDN and Canal 5 will be the main channels, along with their streaming platform Vix, which offers both free and premium tiers. The premium Vix+ service, which costs about $6.99 a month, will likely be major for accessing all 104 matches without interruption. Mexico is a football-mad nation; their opening match in 2022 against Poland drew over 20 million viewers, making it the most-watched broadcast in Mexican television history. Expect those numbers to be shattered in 2026 with the tournament on home soil.

Globally, the picture is just as complex. The BBC and ITV share the rights in the UK, a long-standing tradition. Their joint deal for 2018 and 2022 was reported to be around £200 million. For 2026, those rights will likely be similar in structure, ensuring free-to-air access for British fans on BBC One, ITV1, and their respective iPlayer and ITVX streaming services. In Germany, ARD and ZDF, the public broadcasters, have secured the rights through 2026, reportedly paying around €214 million for the 2018 and 2022 tournaments. Free access remains key in these European markets, often mandated by government regulations for major sporting events.

Here's the thing: FIFA is pushing hard for digital engagement. Their own FIFA+ platform, launched in 2022, is designed to be a central hub for World Cup content. While it didn't carry live matches in most major territories for 2022 due to existing broadcast deals, FIFA will be looking to rely on it more for supplementary content, highlights, and possibly even some live matches in smaller markets where rights deals are less lucrative. They want to own more of the direct-to-consumer relationship. It's a calculated move.

Expected viewership for 2026 is going to be astronomical. The 2022 final between Argentina and France garnered nearly 1.5 billion viewers globally, according to FIFA. With the expansion to 48 teams and the tournament hosted in North America, a more accessible time zone for vast swaths of the global audience, I predict total cumulative viewership across all 104 matches will easily surpass 5 billion unique viewers. The US will be a key market for this, especially with its growing Hispanic population, which makes up roughly 19% of the country and has a deep passion for soccer. Telemundo's numbers for the 2022 World Cup were record-breaking, with the Argentina-Mexico group stage match averaging 5.7 million viewers on Telemundo and Peacock, making it the most-watched World Cup group stage match in US Spanish-language history.

Real talk: while cord-cutting presents challenges for traditional broadcasters, it also creates opportunities. Streaming services are now integral. The biggest hurdle for fans will be navigating the fragmented situation of subscriptions. My hot take? FIFA should have pushed for a single, global streaming pass across all non-linear platforms, simplifying access and maximizing revenue, even if it meant ruffling some broadcast partners.

My bold prediction: the 2026 World Cup will become the most-watched sporting event in history, breaking the 2018 World Cup's record of 3.572 billion unique viewers by a margin of at least 25%.