Premier League Viewing Up 20% Among Young Americans After World Cup

Premier League viewing among young Americans has surged by 20% this season, according to new Nielsen Sports data published on Monday, as the sport continues to ride the momentum of the World Cup.

The figures show NBC and USA Network averaging half a million viewers per Premier League game — up 3% on last season — with the most-watched fixture so far being Tottenham's 2-0 home defeat to Newcastle on 29 August, which drew just over one million American viewers.

The 18-34 age bracket is driving the growth, with the league registering a 20% rise in that demographic compared to last year. The domestic game is benefiting too: interest in MLS has climbed 23% among 16-to-34-year-olds since the World Cup build-up began.

Interest in the World Cup itself peaked in July at 87 million fans across the United States, with women accounting for 44% of that audience — a notable marker of the tournament's broad reach.

The numbers underline football's strengthening foothold in the American market, with broadcasters hoping the afterglow of the home World Cup will translate into sustained long-term growth for both the Premier League and MLS.