Much like their attendance this year, the United States Men’s national team’s TV ratings were up big in 2024. On the back of a Copa America appearance, the USMNT saw their average English-language TV viewership rise 87% from last year. By averaging 1,128,364 viewers per game this year, the USMNT posted their 2nd best average viewership in the last decade (trailing only a whopping 4,467,167 in 2022, which was a World Cup year). It’s also worth noting that 2024’s viewership was 17% higher than 2016’s viewership of 965,842 which was also a year in which the USMNT played in the Copa America.
Here is the game by game breakdown of USMNT TV ratings on English-language TV in 2024.
| Date | Competition | Match-Up | Channel | Viewership |
| January 20 | International Friendly | USA vs. Slovenia | TNT | 291,000 |
| March 21 | Nations League | USA vs. Jamaica | Paramount+ | N/A |
| March 24 | Nations League | USA vs. Mexico | Paramount+ | N/A |
| June 8 | International Friendly | USA vs. Colombia | TNT | 611,000 |
| June 12 | International Friendly | USA vs. Brazil | TNT | 682,000 |
| June 23 | Copa America | USA vs. Bolivia | FOX | 3,165,000 |
| June 27 | Copa America | USA vs. Panama | FOX | 2,469,000 |
| July 1 | Copa America | USA vs. Uruguay | FS1 | 3,777,000 |
| September 7 | International Friendly | USA vs. Canada | TBS | 233,000 |
| September 10 | International Friendly | USA vs. New Zealand | TNT | 268,000 |
| October 12 | International Friendly | USA vs. Panama | TNT | 302,000 |
| October 15 | International Friendly | USA @ Mexico | TNT | N/A |
| November 14 | Nations League | USA @ Jamaica | TNT | 341,000 |
| November 18 | Nations League | USA vs. Jamaica | TNT | 273,000 |
Unsurprisingly, the three biggest games of the year for the USMNT were also the three most watched, which is why hosting Copa America was such a big deal. Unfortunately, the USMNT flamed out of the Copa America group stage and cost themselves a ton of exposure, both in terms of attendance and TV viewership.
But, again, as was the case with the attendance, the two friendlies leading up to Copa America were also a big boon for US Soccer as they were the most watched games outside of the the tournament itself.
On a more disappointing note, the ratings did not improve dramatically following the hire of Mauricio Pochettino as the new coach. In fact, of the four games in which he coached, only three viewership figures were available. It is not known why the viewership for a rivalry game against Mexico was not available, but it is worth nothing that 2023’s friendly against Mexico played in the Phoenix suburbs, drew just 437,000 viewers on TBS.
It also bear pointing out, that because the Nations League semi-finals and final in March were aired on Paramount+, there is no viewership figure available as streaming services are not tracked by Nielsen.
But the USMNT was not the only team drawing well in 2024. The US U-23MNT returned to the Olympics for the first time since 2008 in Beijing and advanced to the knockout rounds of the Olympics for the first time since 2000 in Sydney. And while they were soundly defeated by Morocco in the quarter-finals, it did take just a little bit of the sting out of the Copa America disaster and keep US Soccer closer to the forefront of the American sporting public’s consciousness.
Here are the ratings for the US U-23MNT at this summer’s Olympic in Paris.
| Date | Competition | Match-Up | Channel | Viewership |
| July 24 | Olympics | USA @ France | USA | 1,100,000 |
| July 27 | Olympics | USA vs. New Zealand* | USA | N/A |
| July 30 | Olympics | USA vs. Guinea* | USA | 921,000 |
| August 2 | Olympics | USA vs. Morocco* | USA | 1,094,000 |
Despite some games not having viewership figures, one game not being available, and other games just flat out drawing poorly, 2024 was still the 2nd best average viewership for the USMNT in the last decade and just the fourth time in the last 13 years that they have averaged over one million viewers per game on English-language TV.
Here’s a year by year look at the USMNT’s average English-language viewership.
| Year | Average Viewership | Available Viewership Figures | % Change |
| 2012 | 774,000 | 6 | N/A |
| 2013 | 1,076,875 | 16 | +39% |
| 2014 | 4,306,933 | 15 | +300% |
| 2015 | 728,550 | 20 | -83% |
| 2016 | 965,842 | 19 | +33% |
| 2017 | 819,842 | 19 | -15% |
| 2018 | 431,818 | 11 | -47% |
| 2019 | 737,944 | 18 | +71% |
| 2020 | 189,333 | 3 | -74% |
| 2021 | 745,625 | 16 | +294% |
| 2022 | 4,467,167 | 12 | +499% |
| 2023 | 602,667 | 15 | -87% |
| 2024 | 1,128,364 | 11 | +87% |
Years with big TV ratings are always good news for the USMNT, but as the United States starts preparations for hosting the 2026 World Cup (along with Mexico and Canada) rising TV ratings are even more welcome. To ensure that a home World Cup is as successful as possible, energy and enthusiasm for the USMNT must be at an all-time high.
While the USMNT has four games already on the calendar for 2025, only two of them have broadcast information set. The Nations League semi-finals (and either the third place game or the final) at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles have not yet made their viewing options (streaming or otherwise) available. But the annual January Camp already has the broadcast information ready to go. First, on January 18, is a 2pm kickoff against Venezuela at Chase Stadium in Ft. Lauderdale on TNT before they face Costa Rica at Inter & Co Stadium in Orlando on January 22 at 6pm on TNT.
Given that both TV ratings and attendance were up big for the USMNT in 2024, many fans are hopeful that they will both will continue to rise heading into the 2026 World Cup. With so much high level soccer being played in the United States between 2023 and 2028, the sky could be the limit for the growth of the sport in this country. The Gold Cup was here in 2023, Copa America was here in 2024, the Gold Cup and the Club World Cup are here in 2025, the World Cup is here in 2026, the Gold Cup figures to be here in 2027, and Olympic soccer is here in 2028. If soccer can’t “make it” now, will it ever?
Photo Credit: The Athletic