As the World Cup starts to rev into gear, here are the top 10 most-viewed soccer matches of 2013 in both English and Spanish as well as regardless of language.
The World Cup qualifying matches between the United States and Mexico were two of the three most-watched soccer matches in 2013 across languages, bracketing the FIFA Confederations Cup final between Brazil and Spain, which was the most popular match not to involve either the American or Mexican national teams for both languages. The match at Stadio Azteca was the second-most popular match in each individual language and the most popular overall; the Confederations Cup final was fourth-most popular in English and fifth in Spanish. The CONCACAF Gold Cup final between the USA and Panama likely edged out the Costa Rica-Mexico qualifying match as the most popular match to involve only one of the two national teams, with the caveat that the Costa Rica-Mexico numbers include only viewership on Telemundo; both matches were the most popular in their respective languages, though it is not conclusive whether the Gold Cup final beat Mexico-USA in English. The Liga MX final between Club America and Cruz Azul was the most popular club match (and the third-most popular match in Spanish overall), while the UEFA Champions League final was the most popular club match in English.
Numbers for matches on broadcast from Sports Business Daily. Numbers for FIFA Confederations Cup matches, or any other match where household ratings are not available, on Univision and UniMas from Univision press releases. 18-49 numbers for Telemundo broadcasts from Telemundo press releases. Numbers for matches on ESPN networks from Son of the Bronx. 18-49 numbers for English-language broadcasts, when available, from TVbytheNumbers or The Futon Critic. Numbers for matches on Fox Soccer are not available.
Top 25 Most-Viewed Soccer Matches of 2013 Regardless of Language
| Vwr (mil) | HH | 18-49 | Time | Net | ||
| 1 | FIFA World Cup Qualifying: Mexico v. United States |
6.962 |
3.7 |
3/26 10:30 PM |
ESPN+ UniMas |
|
| 2 | FIFA Confederations Cup Final: Brazil v. Spain |
6 |
2.9 |
6/30 6:00 PM |
ESPN+ Univ. |
|
| 3 | FIFA World Cup Qualifying: United States v. Mexico |
5.783 |
3.2 |
3.1 |
9/10 8:00 PM |
ESPN+ UniMas |
| 4 | CONCACAF Gold Cup Final: United States v. Panama |
4.7 |
7/28 3:30 PM |
FOX+ Univ. |
||
| 5 | FIFA World Cup Qualifying: Costa Rica v. Mexico |
4.643 |
2.3 |
10/15 9:15 PM |
Telm’do | |
| 6 | Liga MX Final: Club America v. Cruz Azul |
4.5 |
~2.0 |
5/26 8:50 PM |
Univ. | |
| 7 | FIFA World Cup Qualifying: Mexico v. Panama |
4.319 |
2.1 |
10/11 9:00 PM |
ESPNN+ UniMas |
|
| 8 | FIFA World Cup Qualifying: Mexico v. New Zealand |
~4.2 |
|
11/13 3:15 PM |
ESPN+ Univ. |
|
| 9 | FIFA Confederations Cup: Mexico v. Italy |
~3.87 |
6/16 2:45 PM |
ESPN+ Univ. |
||
| 10 | FIFA World Cup Qualifying: Mexico v. Honduras |
3.722 |
1.9 |
9/6 9:15 PM |
ESPNN+ UniMas |
|
| 11 | FIFA World Cup Qualifying: New Zealand v. Mexico |
3.6 |
|
|
11/20 1:00 AM |
ESPN+ Univ. |
| 12 | FIFA World Cup Qualifying: Mexico v. Jamaica |
3.493 |
1.8 |
2/6 9:15 PM |
ESPN2+ UniMas |
|
| 13 | Liga MX Apertura Final: Leon v. Club America, Leg 2 |
3.324 |
1.7 |
|
12/15 6:50 PM |
Univ. |
| 14 | CONCACAF Gold Cup Semifinal: Panama v. Mexico |
3.308 |
1.6 |
7/24 9:36 PM |
UniMas | |
| 15 | FIFA World Cup Qualifying: Mexico v. Costa Rica |
3.297 |
2.2 |
0.4 |
6/11 7:54 PM |
ESPN+ UniMas |
| 16 | FIFA Confederations Cup: Brazil v. Mexico |
~3.2 |
6/19 3:00 PM |
ESPN+ Univ. |
||
| 17 | FIFA Confederations Cup: Japan v. Mexico |
~3.0 |
6/22 3:00 PM |
ESPN+ Univ. |
||
| 18 | FIFA World Cup Qualifying: Jamaica v. Mexico |
2.867 |
1.4 |
1.4 |
6/4 9:15 PM |
Telm’do |
| 19 | Liga MX Apertura Final: Leon v. Club America, Leg 1 |
2.77 |
1.4 |
|
|
Telm’do |
| 20 | FIFA World Cup Qualifying: United States v. Panama |
2.668 |
1.5 |
1.4 |
6/11 10:00 PM |
ESPN+ UniMas |
| 21 | CONCACAF Gold Cup Quarterfinal: Mexico v. Trinidad and Tobago |
2.61 |
1.4 |
7/20 6:11 PM |
Univ. | |
| 22 | FIFA Confederations Cup Third Place: Uruguay v. Italy |
2.6 |
6/30 12:00 PM |
ESPN2+ Univ. |
||
| 23 | Liga MX: CD Guadalajara v. Club America |
2.571 |
1.2 |
3/31 9:55 PM |
Telm’do | |
| 24 | FIFA World Cup Qualifying: Panama v. Mexico |
2.563 |
1.3 |
1.2 |
6/9 9:45 PM |
Telm’do |
| 25 | FIFA World Cup Qualifying: United States v. Honduras |
2.455 |
1.3 |
6/18 8:30 PM |
ESPN+ UniMas |
Top 10 Most-Viewed English-Language Soccer Matches
| Vwr (mil) | HH | 18-49 | Time | Net | ||
| CONCACAF Gold Cup Final: United States v. Panama |
2.4 |
1.4 |
7/28 3:30 PM |
FOX | ||
| FIFA World Cup Qualifying: Mexico v. United States |
2.385 |
1.7 |
1.3 |
3/26 10:14 PM |
ESPN | |
| FIFA World Cup Qualifying: United States v. Mexico |
2.243 |
1.4 |
1.1 |
9/10 7:41 PM |
ESPN | |
| FIFA Confederations Cup Final: Brazil v. Spain |
1.952 |
1.2 |
1.0 |
6/30 5:30 PM |
ESPN | |
| CONCACAF Gold Cup Quarterfinal: United States v. El Salvador |
|
0.9 |
|
7/21 3:30 PM |
FOX | |
| FIFA World Cup Qualifying: United States v. Panama |
1.437 |
0.8 |
0.8 |
6/11 10:00 PM |
ESPN | |
| UEFA Champions League Final: Bayern Munich v. Borussia Dortmund |
1.362 |
0.9 |
5/25 2:45 PM |
FOX | ||
| FIFA World Cup Qualifying: United States v. Honduras |
1.127 |
0.7 |
0.6 |
6/18 8:30 PM |
ESPN | |
| English Premier League: Arsenal v. Liverpool |
0.991 |
0.7 |
|
11/2 1:30 PM |
NBC | |
| International Champions Cup
Semifinal: Real Madrid v. Everton |
0.99 |
0.5 |
|
8/3 8:20 PM |
FOX |
Top 10 Most-Viewed Spanish-Language Soccer Matches
| Vwr (mil) | HH | 18-49 | Time | Net | ||
| FIFA World Cup Qualifying: Costa Rica v. Mexico |
4.643 |
2.3 |
10/15 9:15 PM |
Telm’do | ||
| FIFA World Cup Qualifying: Mexico v. United States |
4.577 |
2.0 |
3/26 10:30 PM |
UniMas | ||
| Liga MX Final: Club America v. Cruz Azul |
4.5 |
~2.0 |
5/26 8:50 PM |
Univ. | ||
| FIFA World Cup Qualifying: Mexico v. Panama |
4.176 |
2.0 |
2.2 |
10/11 9:00 PM |
UniMas | |
| FIFA Confederations Cup Final: Brazil v. Spain |
4 |
1.9 |
6/30 6:00 PM |
Univ. | ||
| FIFA World Cup Qualifying: Mexico v. New Zealand |
3.8 |
|
1.5 |
|
Univ. | |
| FIFA World Cup Qualifying: Mexico v. Honduras |
3.563 |
1.8 |
9/6 9:05 PM |
UniMas | ||
| FIFA World Cup Qualifying: United States v. Mexico |
3.54 |
1.8 |
2.0 |
9/10 7:30 PM |
UniMas | |
| Liga MX Apertura Final: Leon v. Club America, Leg 2 |
3.324 |
1.7 |
12/15 6:50 PM |
Univ. | ||
| CONCACAF Gold Cup Semifinal: Panama v. Mexico |
3.308 |
1.6 |
7/24 9:36 PM |
UniMas |