With an average audience of 5.2 million viewers on Bell Media’s TSN, RDS, CTV, Noovo and Crave, Canada Soccer’s men’s national team’s 1-0 victory over South Africa on Sunday ranks as the most-watched non-final FIFA World Cup knockout round match on record in Canada, according to preliminary data from Numeris cited by Bell Media in a press release Monday.
Overall, according to the viewership data, 11.8 million unique Canadian viewers tuned in for some part of the match, which saw audiences peak with 8.2 million viewers at 4:53 p.m. ET as Canada midfielder Stephen Eustáquio scored the match’s only goal in the 92nd minute to secure the win. On TSN platforms, live streaming audiences were nearly triple that of the first knockout stage match of the 2022 World Cup tournament, according to Bell Media. The Canada vs. South Africa match also ranks as the fourth most-watched FIFA World Cup match ever in Canada, Bell Media said.
Referencing data from June 11 to 28, Bell Media said in its Monday press release a total of 26.1 million unique Canadian viewers had watched FIFA World Cup 2026 coverage so far on TSN, RDS, CTV, Noovo and Crave, representing more than 65 per cent of Canada’s population.
Canadians consumed more than 193 million hours of FIFA World Cup 2026 live group stage matches, an increase of 125 per cent compared to the 2022 tournament held in Qatar, according to Bell Media.
In addition, TSN social media accounts saw major engagement around FIFA World Cup 2026 content on June 28, including more than 19 million video views and more than 30 million impressions, Bell Media said. There were more than 1.4 million views for Canada-South Africa content on the TSN YouTube channel, Bell Media added.
“The thrilling run of Canada’s Men’s National Team at FIFA World Cup 2026 continues to electrify the country and break audience records, and this unprecedented engagement is a testament to the incredible passion of Canadian fans uniting around the beautiful game,” Shawn Redmond, vice president of Bell Media Sports, said in the media company’s press release. “The team’s phenomenal performance has made this tournament an unforgettable sporting moment across the country, and these results reflect this extraordinary momentum across broadcast, streaming, digital, and social media. As this incredible moment for Canadian soccer continues, we can’t wait to follow this team’s breathtaking FIFA World Cup journey on every platform.”
TSN and RDS are the exclusive Canadian home of FIFA World Cup 2026, with select matches also available on CTV, Noovo and Crave.
The Canadian men’s national team will face Morocco in the Round of 16 on Saturday, July 4 at Houston Stadium at 1 p.m. ET, with pre-game coverage beginning at 10 a.m. ET across TSN, RDS, CTV, Noovo and Crave.
Photo of Canada Soccer’s men’s national team celebrating after the game-winning goal by midfielder Stephen Eustáquio (centre) against South Africa on June 28, courtesy of Bell Media
