The 2026 FIFA World Cup is delivering record-breaking viewership in the United States, and Lionel Messi is at the center of it. Argentina’s matches have drawn more than 9 million viewers, while the USA’s clash with Paraguay became the most-watched soccer match in U.S. history with 27.5 million viewers across English- and Spanish-language broadcasts, according to Nielsen Fast National, Adobe, and Tubi analytics. With even non-USMNT fixtures posting historic audiences, Colin Cowherd compared Messi’s impact on the sport in the United States to the effect Tiger Woods once had on golf.

Joining Colin Cowherd on the Colin Cowherd Podcast, Michael Mulvihill, the president of Insights and Analytics at Fox Sports, revealed how the 2026 FIFA World Cup was shattering records.

When Cowherd asked whether it was the star or the country drawing those numbers, Mulvihill replied, “It really is both, in this case, the numbers we’ve seen for the Argentina matches so far, the number for the first match over 9 million, I think it’s clearly driven by Messi more than the team.”

At that point, Cowherd intervened and added, “I think he has the most draw, he’s the Tiger Woods of this tour, to me it’s Messi.”

Mulvihill further opined, “Three things drive the viewership: star power, the history of success from that nation, and just personal attachment the Americans have to that country.”

Cross-sport comparison has been the norm for Lionel Messi. Widely considered the greatest of all time in the Soccer world, he regularly is linked with the GOATs of other sports like Michael Jordan and Tom Brady. Recently, Owen Hargreaves, the Fox analyst on air during the Argentina-Austria match, compared Messi to Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and Tom Brady.

Cowherd’s comparison is rooted in more than just popularity. Woods historically boosted television ratings by 30% to 50%, and the “Tiger Effect” is often credited with expanding golf’s audience, changing the sport’s demographics, and generating unprecedented commercial demand. For instance, Woods’ debut in the TGL simulator league drew 1 million viewers, making it the second-most-watched match in league history, according to Golf.com.

The comparison extends beyond television numbers. During his prime, Woods transformed golf’s audience, attracted younger fans to the sport, and helped fuel significant commercial growth across the PGA Tour. Messi’s impact has followed a similar pattern in soccer, with his arrival in the United States bringing new viewers, increased sponsorship interest, and a surge in attention around MLS and Inter Miami.

When Lionel Messi moved to the MLS after signing for Inter Miami, it sparked a soccer revolution in the country. Following his announcement, Inter Miami’s Instagram followers increased by 4.2 million in just 24-hours and surpassed the following of all NFL, MLB, NHL, and MLS teams. Inter Miami’s valuations swelled from $56 million in 2022 to $200 million in 2024 and $1.45 billion in 2026, according to Sportico.

Moreover, Pep Guardiola, the iconic coach who nurtured Messi, compared him to Jordan and Woods in an interview from 2024. “I have never seen someone like him as a coach; you can’t imagine him maintaining this longevity for 15-20 years. When you see him up close, you think of Tiger Woods or Michael Jordan,” he said on a Spanish talk show.

That comparison has surfaced from multiple directions over the years. While discussing a meeting between his family and Messi’s Barcelona side in 2018, Woods revealed that his children viewed the Argentine superstar as soccer’s equivalent of their father.

With Messi continuing to break records on the sport’s biggest stage, the World Cup has become another showcase for the influence he has built in the United States since arriving in MLS. The audience growth around Argentina’s matches offers further evidence of how deeply that impact has extended beyond the field.

Lionel Messi breaks further records at the World Cup

Messi had 13 goals at the FIFA World Cup and was three away from the goalscoring record. With a splendid hat-trick against Algeria, he equalled Miroslav Klose’s men’s World Cup scoring record.

In the opening minutes of the clash against Austria, Messi had a penalty to emerge as the leading men’s scorer and equal Marta as the highest goal scorer in World Cup history. The Argentine number 10 missed his spotkick, but he didn’t make the world wait any longer.

He arrived at the box unmarked and passed a cutback into the bottom corner to score his 17th World Cup goal. In the 95th minute, he showed incredible control and awareness by slotting his own rebound into a net guarded by four defenders and a goalkeeper. With 18 goals, he emerged as the highest goalscorer in FIFA World Cup history.

In typical Lionel Messi fashion, he downplayed the gravity of the achievement. “I am tired now, I’m not thinking about that. I just want to enjoy the win with my teammates. We’ve already given people many moments of joy, but we’ll try to give them even more,” Messi told Fox Sports in Spanish.

Having just turned 39, Lionel Messi is leading the Golden Boot race at the World Cup and is keen to defend his crown as the world champion.