The US/Portugal game more than delivered for broadcasters ESPN and Univision, scoring as the most-watched US match ever for both channels. ESPN’s telecast of the dramatic game actually ranked as the most-viewed soccer match in the United States ever, across all networks, averaging 18,220,000 viewers based on a 9.6 HH US rating, according to Nielsen, while the rating ranked as the highest-rated men’s soccer telecast of all time. WatchESPN had a 490,000 average minute audience, and total of 1,373,000 viewers and 61,691,000 minutes viewed.
On Univision, the game was the most viewed US match on Univision Deportes history with 6.5 million total viewers. Univision Deportes out delivered the opening US match by 35% with Total Viewers and +31% with Adults 18-49. So far, Univision Deportes’ coverage of the 2014 World Cup is pacing ahead of its 2010 World Cup coverage by 48% among Total Viewers.