Manchester City’s 2-1 win over Arsenal in April 2026 became the most-watched Premier League match in US television history, averaging 2.6 million viewers across NBC, Peacock and Telemundo. That figure would have seemed unthinkable a decade ago, when English football was still a niche interest for most American sports fans. Anyone checking Premier League winner odds from the United States is now part of one of the fastest growing sports audiences in the country.
That single match is part of a much longer trend. Here’s a look at how the Premier League built its US following, how younger fans are engaging with it, and why it continues to outperform its European rivals for American attention.
Television viewership keeps breaking records
NBC Sports has held exclusive US rights to the Premier League since 2013, and this deal now runs through 2028. The 2025-26 season averaged 535,000 viewers per match window across NBC and USA Network, up 5% on the previous year and the fifth consecutive season above 500,000. The season opener alone drew 850,000 viewers, a new record for an opening weekend in the US.
Streaming has reshaped how fans watch
Peacock’s growth has run alongside the broadcast numbers. The streaming platform delivered two of the seven most-streamed Premier League matches in US history during the 2025-26 season, and NBC’s digital platforms have become just as important to how fans follow the league as traditional television.
Social media engagement around Premier League content on NBC Sports accounts rose 17% during the same season, with impressions and video views both reaching four-year highs.
Younger fans are turning to English football
Surveys of American sports fans show interest in the Premier League running at around 28% among 18-to 24-year-olds, close to domestic leagues like MLS. For those following football odds markets built around younger audiences, that crossover between English football and US sports culture has become increasingly visible.
The Premier League’s audience still skews older overall compared with some European rivals, but its reach among younger viewers has grown steadily as streaming access has improved.
Why the Premier League beats its European rivals
The Premier League consistently ranks as the most popular foreign football competition in the US, ahead of La Liga, Serie A and the Bundesliga in most surveys, even though the Bundesliga has made faster gains among the very youngest fans in recent years.
Its combination of English-language coverage, a settled broadcast home on NBC and Peacock, and a run of genuinely competitive title races in recent seasons has kept it ahead of leagues that sometimes struggle for the same level of US visibility. Familiar club names and star players have also made it an easier entry point than most of its rivals.
What's driving the growth ahead of 2026
The 2026 World Cup, hosted across the United States, Canada and Mexico, has added another layer of exposure to English football in America, with several Premier League players featuring prominently for their countries. That kind of crossover moment tends to bring in new viewers who then stay engaged with club football once the tournament ends.
Two decades after NBC first took on Premier League coverage, English football’s place in American sports culture looks more secure than ever, and the numbers suggest that growth still has further to run.