England's 3-2 Win Over Mexico Sets Record World Cup Viewership

England defeated Mexico 3‑2 at the Azteca Stadium, advancing to the quarter‑finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The match became the most‑watched World Cup game of the 21st century in Mexico, averaging 36 million viewers across Televisa and Azteca.

In the United States the combined audience on Fox and Telemundo reached approximately 44.9 million, setting a new record for both the most‑watched English‑language World Cup match that did not involve the U.S. team and the most‑watched Spanish‑language soccer broadcast in U.S. history. In the United Kingdom the BBC reported 9.1 million live viewers, the largest after‑hours audience in its history. Overall, viewership peaked at over 40 million across the United States and the United Kingdom, with additional streaming audiences pushing the global total even higher.

Key on‑field moments included Jude Bellingham’s brace and Harry Kane’s penalty, the latter equalling Gary Lineker’s record of six knockout‑stage goals for England. The result also ended Mexico’s long unbeaten run at the Azteca Stadium.