Morocco-Brazil World Cup match becomes most-watched non-U.S. group game in FOX history

Morocco’s 1-1 draw against Brazil at the 2026 FIFA World Cup attracted more than 10 million viewers in the United States, setting a new record for an English-language group-stage match that did not involve the U.S. men’s national team.

According to FOX Sports, the Group C encounter averaged 10.019 million viewers across its platforms, making it the most-watched non-U.S. men’s national team World Cup group-stage match in English-language U.S. television history.

Viewership peaked at 13.119 million between 7:45 p.m. and 8 p.m. Eastern Time during the closing moments of the match, underscoring the strong interest generated by both teams and the tournament.

FOX said the audience represented a 212% increase compared with the average audience for non-U.S. group-stage matches during the 2022 FIFA World Cup, which drew approximately 3.21 million viewers.

The match was widely regarded as one of the marquee fixtures of the group stage. Brazil, a five-time world champion, entered as the favorite, while Morocco continued to build on the international reputation it established with its historic semifinal run at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

The Atlas Lions secured a point after canceling out Brazil’s opening goal, keeping supporters engaged until the final whistle and boosting Morocco’s hopes of advancing to the knockout rounds.

Morocco’s performances on the global stage in recent years, combined with the growing profile of its players in Europe’s top leagues, have helped increase international interest in the national team.

FOX reported that interest in the match was particularly strong in several U.S. markets. Kansas City recorded the highest local television rating, followed by Austin, West Palm Beach, Boston and Dallas.

The result left both teams with a point in a closely contested match that has become one of the most-watched group-stage games in World Cup broadcasting history in the United States.