US vs Ghana soccer WC match records peak viewership in America

US vs Ghana soccer WC match records peak viewership in America

MUMBAI: Saturday‘s US-Ghana match on broadcaster ABC, which resulted in a 2-1 US loss in extra time and eliminated the Americans from the tournament, is the most-watched Fifa World Cup game among households and viewers in the US.

The 2.5 hour match window averaged an 8.2 rating, 9.4 million households, and 14.9 million viewers, based on fast nationals.
 
The US-Ghana game ranks as the most-watched Men‘s World Cup game ever, with only the 1999 Women‘s Final (US-China) averaging more households and viewers for a soccer game (11.3 million households and 17.9 million viewers).

Additionally, the match ranks as the third highest-rated Men‘s World Cup game on record, behind two matches in 1994 - 9.3 rating (US-Brazil, Quarterfinal, 7/4/94) and 9.5 rating (Italy-Brazil, Final, 7/17/94). The 1999 Women‘s World Cup Final (US-China) also delivered an 11.4 rating.

The US-Ghana match represents increases of 11 per cent in ratings (vs. 7.4) and 13 per cent in viewership (versus 13.1 million) from the US-England World Cup game on 12 June which ended in a 1-1 draw.
 
The entire three-hour telecast - including 30 minutes of pre-match coverage - delivered a 7.5 household rating, 8.6 million households, and 13.5 million viewers.

San Diego was the top market for the match delivering a 15.4 rating. San Diego was also the top market for all three previous US matches - vs. England (11.5, ABC), vs. Slovenia (8.5, ESPN) and vs. Algeria (8.9, ESPN). Rounding out the top 10 for Saturday‘s match were Washington, D.C. (13.8), San Francisco (13.3), Cincinnati (12.9), Las Vegas (11.7), Austin (11.4), Columbus, Ohio (10.6), Norfolk, Va. (10.6), Seattle-Tacoma (10.6) and West Palm Beach (10.5). 
 
Also, ESPN‘s Uruguay-South Korea Round of 16 match on Saturday morning delivered a 2.5 coverage rating (2.2 US rating), 2.5 million households, and 3.2 million viewers.

Through 50 games of the 2010 Fifa World Cup, the ESPN networks (ESPN/ESPN2/ABC) are averaging a 1.8 US rating, 2 million households, and 2 million viewers. The rating is up 48 per cent from 2006 (1.2), while household impressions are up 54 per cent (from 1.3 milion) and viewers are up 60 per cent (from 1.7 million).

Now that America is out it remains to be sen what kind of viewership the rest of the tournament gets.