• Loading stock data...
Friday, July 18, 2025

Fox’s Audience Drops 21% For USWNT’s World Cup Exit

  • Team USA’s loss to Sweden averaged 2.52M viewers.
  • Game’s early 5 a.m. ET start on Sunday impacted numbers.
Sweden knocks out the US and TV ratings.
Credit: Jenna Watson-USA TODAY Sports

These TV numbers will only rub salt into Fox Sports’ 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup wounds.

Fox’s coverage of the USWNT’s Round of 16 loss to Sweden averaged 2.52 million viewers on Sunday morning.

That’s down 21% from the 3,196,000 average for FS1’s telecast of the USWNT’s Round of 16 victory over Spain in 2019.

What happened?

Blame it on timing. Plus, the USWNT’s dismal performance in the prior Group Stage.

Fox telecast of Sweden’s penalty kicks victory over the U.S. began at 5 a.m. ET. 

Sure, plenty of people set their alarm clocks early on the East Coast – or rose in the middle of the night on the West Coast – to watch the match. 

But not enough. Especially compared to the match window for the comparable match four years ago from France, which began at 11:39 a.m. ET. Now Fox faces the prospect of televising the rest of the tournament without its biggest TV draw.

What makes matters worse is that if the favored USWNT had won their Group Stage as expected, their games would have aired in ratings-friendly prime-time windows in the U.S.

Instead, Team USA went out early with a whimper.

All Fox can do is dream about what might have been if the favored USWNT had pulled off a historic three-peat.

United States Women's World Cup disaster.

Carli Lloyd’s Brutally Honest Analysis Shines Amid World Cup Disaster

Fox Sports analyst Carli Lloyd correctly warned that a cocky, complacent USWNT…
August 7, 2023

Still, despite two of their four match windows airing either overnight or early morning, Fox projects the USWNT’s matches will end up averaging 3,795,000 viewers, up 2% from 3,726,000 for the comparable four matches in 2019.

Fox’s lead analyst Alexi Lalas called USWNT’s ignominious departure a “failure of historic proportions.”

Said Lalas: “This U.S. team has never finished worse than third in a World Cup, so obviously going out in the Round of 16 is not good. And when I look at the previous versions of this team that won the World Cup in 2015, in 2019, this is the weakest of the three, and so ultimately, they just weren’t good enough. The way they did it was commendable, but still, the damage was done early on.”

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Feb 7, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Calais Campbell (middle) receives the NFLPA Alan Page Community Award from executive director Lloyd Howell (left) and president) JC Tretter (right) at the NFLPA Press Conference at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center prior to Super Bowl LVIII.

What Comes Next After NFLPA Chief’s Sudden Resignation?

Howell quit on his own accord; he was not forced out.

New NFLPA Head Will Face Multibillion-Dollar Decisions

The next NFLPA leader will wrestle with a series of pressing issues.
exclusive

Bill Belichick UNC Series Heading to Hulu After ‘Hard Knocks’ Breakdown

The series lands at Hulu after a deal with HBO fell through.
Lloyd Howell

Scandal-Ridden NFLPA Chief Lloyd Howell Quits

The union executive director stepped down late Thursday night.

Featured Today

Jul 21, 2024; Ayrshire, SCT; Xander Schauffele celebrates with Claret Jug after winning the Open Championship golf tournament at Royal Troon.

The Boozy History and Traditions of The Open’s Claret Jug

The Open awards the world’s most famous wine decanter.
2025 PDC World Darts Championship Final - Luke Littler vs Michael Van Gerwen
July 16, 2025

A Teen Darts Prodigy Is Becoming Bigger Than the Game Itself

Luke ‘The Nuke’ Littler is cashing in on his devastatingly accurate shot.
May 31, 2025; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Sydney McLaughin-Levrone (USA) reacts before the women's 100m hurdles during the Grand Slam Track Philadelphia at Franklin Field
exclusive
July 13, 2025

Track’s New Money Is Running Into Old Problems

The sport’s big-money era has hit some speed bumps in 2025.
Bobbleheads are seen at Vintage Indy Sports, Tuesday, April 29, 2025 in Speedway. The local sports memorabilia store opened recently.
July 12, 2025

Baseball’s Bobbleheads Are the Center of the Collectibles Universe

Baseball’s most important keepsake drives long lines—and big business.

Netflix Beats Projections Again—and Plots Big Holiday Sports Slate

The streaming giant again beats analyst projections in every respect.
Jul 15, 2025; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; National League designated hitter Kyle Schwarber (12) of the Philadelphia Phillies hits a home run in the swing off of after the 2025 MLB All Star Game ended in a tie at Truist Park.
July 16, 2025

MLB All-Star Game Viewership Dips Despite Historic Swing-Off

Game viewership falls 3% despite late dramatics in the unique tiebreaker.
July 17, 2025

ESPN Bidding Against NBC, Apple for MLB Rights Package

The league continues to negotiate with multiple media-rights bidders.
Sponsored

Game On: Portfolio Players Stories, Brought to You by E*TRADE from Morgan Stanley

Dealmaker Jeffrey Kaplan maps the evolution of sports as an asset class
July 15, 2025

MLB Home Run Derby Draws 5.7M Viewers on ESPN, Up 5%

ESPN reverses the trend from last year and registers audience growth.
July 15, 2025

WNBA Hits Fourth-Highest ABC Viewership With Clark-Bueckers Duel

Clark missed the first Fever vs. Wings game with an injury.
Brittney Griner and Caitlin Clark
exclusive
July 15, 2025

‘Good Morning America’ Will Air From WNBA All-Star in First

The All-Star Game’s relevance has exploded with the league in recent years.
NBC Sports
exclusive
July 14, 2025

NBC Hiring Ex-Hawks Exec Grant Liffmann As NBA Front Office Insider

Liffmann spent the last three years with Atlanta after covering the Warriors.