Today's Edition
TAARIQ HALIM (ABU DHABI)
FIFA World Cup 2026 has broken almost every record in the history of the global football showcase.
Not only has the super-sized tournament, currently being hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada, been expanded to 48 national teams, playing a total of 104 matches across 16 host cities, but the 2026 edition has already welcomed a record 6,527,410 spectators to its first 100 matches — that’s more than the last two tournaments (Russia 2018 — 3,031,768; and Qatar 2022 — 3,404,252 spectators) combined.
According to the latest Inside FIFA statistics, 2026 has also set a record for the most total goals scored in a single tournament, with 173 goals — at an average of 2.92 goals per match.
With two semifinals, a third-place playoff and a final still to play this week, 2026 has already eclipsed France 1998 and Qatar 2022, joint-second with 172 goals.
Top Scorers
The largest crowds of the tournament were registered at Mexico City Stadium (80,824 fans) for five matches, with a total attendance of 404,120.
The official FIFA World Cup 2026 Album has registered more than 575 million streams across all digital streaming platforms.
The tournament’s Official Song, “Dai Dai”, has topped the global charts, holding the number one position on both Spotify’s Top 50 Global daily and the YouTube Music Video chart since July 3.
Mexico’s Round of 16 clash against England became the nation’s most-watched World Cup match of the 21st century, with an average audience of 36 million.
The US’ Round of 32 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina became the most-watched football match in American TV history, attracting a record-breaking audience of 36.2 million viewers.
Tournament coverage boasts a record 20 billion video views across platforms. The “Viking Row” celebration video is the most viewed on TikTok with 174 million views, followed by Neymar congratulating Norwegian players (70 million).
More than 30 million gaming fans were engaged across FIFA’s Digital Football portfolio. Over 100 million hours of gameplay and fan engagement have been generated so far during the tournament.
UAE Football Fever
While the UAE may not be participating at the 2026 World Cup, interest remains high, with local fans upgrading their home entertainment setups to enjoy all the action from the Beautiful Game.
Data from dubizzle reveals a sharp increase in demand for televisions, gaming consoles and home theatre systems.
According to the online marketplace, TVs emerged as one of the most sought-after product during the tournament. Views for TVs increased by 11.8% month-on-month, rising from more than 428,000 views in May to nearly 480,000 in June.
Views for home theatre systems climbed 9.2% month-on-month, while projectors remained popular, reflecting consumers’ desire to recreate a stadium-like atmosphere in the comfort of their homes.
Gaming also experienced a significant boost. The gaming systems category recorded an 11.4% increase in views, reaching almost 620,000 views in June, making it the most-viewed World Cup-related category on dubizzle.
Searches for gaming consoles have also spiked. PS5 searches increased by 66% month-on-month. PS5 Pro searches surged by 115.1%. Searches specifically mentioning “FIFA World Cup” jumped by 211.9%.
Matthew Gregory, Senior Director of Strategy at dubizzle, said major sporting events continue to influence not only viewing but also consumer habits.
“The World Cup consistently brings people together, and our data shows that many UAE residents have upgraded their home entertainment setups throughout the tournament. Whether it’s investing in a larger television, a gaming console or a home theatre system, consumers are looking for ways to create a more immersive viewing experience and enjoy the final stages of the competition with family and friends.
“The strong demand we’re seeing also highlights the role online marketplaces play in helping people access these products more conveniently and across a range of price points.”
