• Loading stock data...
Thursday, May 29, 2025

USWNT, Fox Lose Primetime World Cup Viewing Slots After Shaky Performance

  • The USWNT will not play any more games in primetime at the Women’s World Cup.
  • A second-place finish in Group E relegates the U.S. to less-than-deal match times.
Jenna Watson-USA TODAY Sports

Besides creating some anxious moments for American fans, the USWNT’s failure to win its group at the FIFA Women’s World Cup for the first time since 2011 isn’t exactly great news for Fox Sports.

A scoreless draw against Portugal on Thursday and the Netherlands’ 7-0 rout of Vietnam gave the U.S. a second-place finish in Group E — meaning fans in the States must watch the remainder of their quest for a third-straight World Cup victory in the middle of the night.

Fox was betting on the USWNT winning its group (-400 betting favorites pre-tournament) when it collaborated with FIFA on knockout-stage match windows. Had the U.S. won the group, it would’ve played on Saturday night at 10 p.m. ET — and if victorious, the following Thursday at 9 p.m. ET.

Those are the only two East Coast primetime slots left in the tournament being played in Australia and New Zealand, and Fox confirmed to Front Office Sports that game times are already set in stone by FIFA. If the U.S. rallies to the final, its path will look like this (all times ET):

  • Round of 16: Sunday at 5 a.m.
  • Quarterfinals: Friday, Aug. 11 at 3:30 a.m.
  • Semifinals: Tuesday, Aug. 15 at 4 a.m.
  • Final: Sunday, Aug. 20 at 6 a.m.

The U.S.-Netherlands match set a record for Women’s World Cup group-stage viewership after the USWNT’s opening match delivered a near-record number of its own. 

Knockout-round matches in primetime surely would have delivered even bigger audiences, leaving Fox — and fans — wondering what could’ve been. Sweden — the most likely opponent for the U.S. in the next round — has won matches against the Americans in the previous two Olympic tournaments, but the U.S. beat Sweden at the 2019 World Cup.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

NBA East Finals Delivers Strong TV Ratings, but West Is Struggling

The Pacers and Thunder are both up 3–1 in their conference finals series.
Feb 14, 2024; Kansas City, MO, USA; A general view of the Kansas City Royals 1985 and 2015 World Series championships on the scoreboard at Kauffman Stadium at the Truman Sports Complex.

Chiefs, Royals Stadium Public Funding Standoff Nears Endgame

Missouri legislators will review stadium bonds for the Chiefs and Royals.

Terry Bradshaw Calls Steelers Pursuit of Aaron Rodgers ‘a Joke’

The Pro Football Hall of Famer lambastes the courtship of the mercurial star.

Featured Today

How Rolex Paved the Way for Luxury’s Love Affair With Tennis

“It’s almost impossible to think about tennis without thinking about Rolex.”
Mar 23, 2025; Miami, FL, USA; Alexandra Eala (PHI) reacts after winning a point against Madison Keys (USA)(not pictured) on day six of the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium.
May 24, 2025

Alex Eala Is Defying Her Country’s Odds to Make French Open History

The Philippines native has overcome a unique set of financial odds.
May 24, 2025

Indiana Is the Center of the Basketball Universe—Thanks to Both Pro Teams

The Fever and Pacers are thriving at the same time.
Around the Horn - October 26, 2020
May 23, 2025

‘Quirky, Nutty, Bombastic’: 10 ‘Around the Horn’ Faces on Their Top Moments

“A quirky, nutty, bombastic, mostly wrong, sometimes right, crazy sports family.”
Around the Horn

Behind the Scenes of Around the Horn’s Final Days

FOS followed Tony Reali at the penultimate taping of the ESPN icon.
May 21, 2025

Paige Bueckers’s WNBA Debut Delivers 121% Ratings Bump on Ion

Friday’s doubleheader averaged 612,000 viewers.
May 22, 2025

NBC Eyes MLB Rights, Looks to Own Sunday Nights Year-Round

The league continues to shop media rights being forfeited by ESPN.
Sponsored

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

In Episode 7 of Portfolio Players, go inside the boardroom with Avenue Capital CEO and former Milwaukee Bucks co-owner Marc Lasry on Giannis’s future, women’s sports, and upstart leagues like TGL and Unrivaled. 
Dec 9, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) watches as center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) celebrates after making a three point basket to clinch a win against the Toronto Raptors near the end of the fourth quarter at Scotiabank Arena.
May 20, 2025

NBA Playoff TV Ratings Up 3% Ahead of Late-Round Test

Games are averaging 4.17 million viewers across ABC, ESPN, and TNT.
May 18, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Scottie Scheffler is interviewed after winning the PGA Championship golf tournament at Quail Hollow.
May 20, 2025

PGA Championship TV Ratings Dip As Scottie Scheffler Dominates Again

CBS drew an average of 4.76 million viewers for Sunday’s final round.
May 20, 2025

Caitlin Clark, Fever Draw Record 2.7M Viewers vs. Sky

Caitlin Clark recorded her third career triple-double.
Julie Foudy
exclusive
May 16, 2025

Julie Foudy Out at ESPN After Two Decades

Foudy and ESPN failed to reach an agreement on a new deal.