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World Cup Fuels Cable News Ratings Drop
29 Jun
Summary
- Cable news viewership saw significant declines compared to the previous year.
- FS1 captured top primetime ratings by airing World Cup matches.
- Fox News, MS NOW, and CNN all experienced viewership drops year-over-year.
Cable news networks faced a significant downturn in viewership for the week of June 15, with major declines observed year-over-year. CNN, MS NOW, and Fox News all reported substantial drops in both primetime and total day ratings compared to the same period in 2025. The extensive coverage of World Cup matches on FS1 is widely considered the primary reason for this decrease in viewership.
FS1's airing of the World Cup games propelled it to the top of the primetime cable news ratings for the week. Meanwhile, Fox News, despite a slight week-over-week increase in total viewers and demo, saw considerable year-over-year decreases. CNN and MS NOW also experienced declines, with CNN down significantly in primetime and total day viewers year-over-year, and MS NOW showing mixed results with year-over-year gains in total day viewers but losses in key demographic metrics.
