Before the United States crashed out of the World Cup against Belgium, it had already delivered a broadcast milestone. The U.S. win over Bosnia and Herzegovina became the most watched English language soccer telecast in American history.

The Guardian reported that Fox averaged more than 24 million viewers for the match, while NBC Bay Area reported a peak above 31 million. The numbers reflected the tournament’s unique position on home soil and the public’s growing comfort with soccer as a major U.S. television event.

The record matters because soccer has spent decades being described as the sport of America’s future. During this World Cup, that future looked much closer to the present. A knockout win gave casual viewers a reason to join, while longtime fans finally saw a domestic audience large enough to match the sport’s global scale.

The later defeat to Belgium does not erase the broadcast achievement. If anything, it shows the difference between competitive disappointment and cultural progress. The U.S. team did not reach the quarterfinals, but the audience proved that the country will show up for the sport when the stakes are clear.

Broadcasters, sponsors and soccer officials will study these numbers carefully. The next challenge is keeping viewers engaged outside World Cup moments. Records are valuable, but habits are more powerful. For one night, American soccer had the country’s attention. The task now is making sure that attention does not vanish when the tournament leaves.