A solid majority (62%) of voters are not interested in the FIFA World Cup. While a dedicated fraction of the public remains glued to their screens, polling data suggests that soccer's biggest international stage still struggles to capture the attention of the American majority.
A Historic Tournament Underway
The 2026 FIFA World Cup, which runs from June 11 to July 19, 2026, marks a major milestone in sports history. It is the first World Cup ever to be jointly hosted by three nations: the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Furthermore, it is the first men's World Cup to feature an expanded roster of 48 teams.
Despite these historic firsts taking place on home soil, public awareness regarding the tournament's timeline is somewhat mixed. While 64% majority of voters know that the FIFA World Cup is going on right now, others don't:
- 23% of voters are not sure about the event's timing.
- 7% believe the tournament is already over.
- A small number (6%) say the tournament will be held in the next week or month or so.
Knowing What the FIFA World Cup Is
A majority (77%) of voters say they know what sport is played in the FIFA World Cup. When this specific group was asked to identify the game, 97% correctly answered that the sport is soccer.
Conversely, the remaining 23% of voters say they either do not know what sport is played or are not sure.
Viewership and Excitement Levels
While general awareness of the sport is relatively high, it does not translate directly into tournament viewership or enthusiasm. Along with the 62% of voters who have not watched any matches, the viewing habits of some voters are low:
- Only 11% say they have watched as many matches as they could.
- Another 27% fall into a more casual viewership category, having watched only one or two matches.
This data is from a Napolitan News Service survey of 1,000 Registered Voters conducted online by Scott Rasmussen, June 15-16, 2026. RMG Research, Inc., conducted the field work for the survey. It has a margin of error of +/- 3.1.
