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World Cup match between US and Belgium was the most-watched soccer game in US history

708_APTOPIX Miami WCup Soccer Reaction_AP Tommy Floeter, center, and other United States fans with the American Outlaws supporters group react at The Leinster Irish pub in Miami as they watch a live broadcast of a World Cup round of 16 soccer match between the United States and Belgium, Monday, July 6, 2026. (Rebecca Blackwell/AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

(AP) - The U.S. game against Belgium in the round of 16 at the World Cup set another record as the most-watched soccer telecast in U.S. history, Fox said after preliminary ratings came out Tuesday.

Fox said 30 million people watched the game, a 4-1 victory for Belgium on Monday in Seattle to move into the quarterfinals and eliminate the last of the tournament’s three co-hosts. Fox said audience peaked at more than 36.8 million people between 9:15 and 9:30 p.m. Eastern Time.

Tommy Floeter, center, and other United States fans with the American Outlaws supporters group react at The Leinster Irish pub in Miami as they watch a live broadcast of a World Cup round of 16 soccer match between the United States and Belgium, Monday, July 6, 2026. (Rebecca Blackwell/AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

That topped the previous mark, the U.S.-Bosnia-Herzegovina game last week that Fox said was watched by 26.4 million.

Fox on Tuesday also reported the 11.1 million viewers who tuned in to the Portugal-Croatia match in the round of 32 were the most in English language history in the United States for any World Cup game without the U.S. team, excluding the final. Fox said viewership peaked at more than 16 million for a wild finish.

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