LoopMe data: Only 30% of Americans will watch the 2026 World Cup, but they will remember the ads

Data from LoopMe reveals the value of highly-tailored campaigns to capitalize on high levels of excitement within smaller groups of fans

NEW YORK, March 17 2026: New survey insights from LoopMe, the global leader in brand performance, reveal how US consumers plan to watch the 2026 World Cup and how they engage with advertising around it. 

The survey reveals that less than a third (30%) of US consumers plan to watch World Cup content in 2026. However, excitement is high within this group, with a similar number (32%) more excited this year than for the previous event, Qatar 2022. 

Despite the low number of consumers expecting to watch the tournament, almost three-quarters of respondents claim they will notice World Cup ads, while the likelihood they will notice sponsors increases to 60% among those more excited about the event than last time, compared to 52% on average. Interestingly, those planning to watch via mobile apps are most likely to be more excited about the event this year (36%). 

The research highlights that the highest intent to watch peaks among 35-44 year-olds (37%). While live TV continues to be the most popular channel to watch matches (35%), viewing will be truly cross-channel, with streaming services (18%), social media (12%), and mobile apps (11%) all popular options for fans. For advertisers, distinctive tournament-aligned creative must be activated across multiple channels to effectively tap into high-energy fan segments. 

“The data highlights a small but dedicated pool of American viewers for this year’s FIFA World Cup, emphasizing the value of highly-tailored and timely campaigns”, said Dan Sicular, Senior Manager of Insight & Analytics at LoopMe. “As consumers increasingly flock to the communities and interests most aligned to them, the value of truly understanding the most engaged audiences and responding to their needs continues to grow in importance – even for huge international events such as this. As this trend continues, tapping into audience excitement is a key factor in engaging the most valuable, high-intent audiences.”