USA-Nigeria Match Scores 5.0 Million Viewers

Fox Sports continues to kick up record ratings for its 2015 Women’s World Cup coverage, drawing 5 million viewers for last night’s USA-Nigeria telecast.

The game, which the USA Women's National Team won 1-0 over Nigeria to advance to the round of 16, was the most watched FIFA Women’s World Cup Group Stage match ever, and the most-watched soccer match ever on the network, according to Nielsen. The game outpointed Friday’s USA-Sweden game by 11%, said Fox.

The 5 million viewers for the USA-Nigeria match was up 285% over the third USA Women’s World Cup Group Stage match on ESPN in 2011, which drew 1.3 million viewers.

Overall, Fox Sports’ Women’s World Cup coverage is averaging 1,044,000 viewers, up 87% over the 559,000 viewers averaged on ESPN and ESPN2 in 2011 during Group Stage play, according to Fox.

R. Thomas Umstead serves as senior content producer, programming for Multichannel News, Broadcasting + Cable and Next TV. During his more than 30-year career as a print and online journalist, Umstead has written articles on a variety of subjects ranging from TV technology, marketing and sports production to content distribution and development. He has provided expert commentary on television issues and trends for such TV, print, radio and streaming outlets as Fox News, CNBC, the Today show, USA Today, The New York Times and National Public Radio. Umstead has also filmed, produced and edited more than 100 original video interviews, profiles and news reports featuring key cable television executives as well as entertainers and celebrity personalities.