USMNT loss to Uruguay in 2024 Copa America sets viewership record as US audience numbers come to light
USMNT fell to a 1-0 loss to Group C winners Uruguay on Monday (July 1) to finish third in the group and miss out on the 2024 Copa America quarterfinals. However, the game at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri, broke the viewership record in the US for a non-FIFA World Cup football game.
Mathias Olivera's 66th-minute winner eventually sunk the USMNT as La Celeste ended their group-stage campaign with a perfect record of three wins from three to book a blockbuster quarterfinal with Brazil.
Despite the hosts' defeat, the audience on FS1 for the 2024 Copa America game during its last 15 minutes, as per Daily Mail, was 4.87 million. Across both Copa games on Monday, Fox, FS1 and FS2 viewership was recorded at 1.1 million, a 48% jump recorded from the numbers during the Copa America Centenario hosted in the States in 2016.
It's pertinent to note that Fox is also showing live broadcasts of the ongoing Euro 2024 games. Spain's 4-1 Round of 16 win over Georgia reportedly had a viewership of 2.87 million on Fox, making it the most widely watched Round of 16 game.
A look at USMNT's 2024 Copa America campaign
Hosts USMNT made a sparkling start to their 2024 Copa America campaign with a 2-0 win over Bolivia at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on June 23. Unanswered goals from captain Christian Pulisic (2') and Folarin Balogun (44') ensured all three points for the USMNT.
However, Gregg Berhalter's men came undone in their next game, losing 2-1 to Panama at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, on June 28. Despite Timothy Weah seeing red in the 18th minute, the 10-man USMNT drew first blood through Balogun in the 22nd minute, but Cesar Blackman restored parity four minutes later.
Jose Fajardo made Panama's numerical advantage count by scoring the winner seven minutes from time. Adalberto Carrasquilla's 88th-minute send-off for Panama set up a grandstand finale, but the visitors held firm to take the win.
Needing a win to reach the quarter-finals, the USMNT fell to a solitary-goal defeat on July 1 to Uruguay to bow out of the 2024 Copa America.