Top 5 most-watched Premier League games in US history
The Premier League has a profound following in the United States, and some of the most-watched games in the league’s history bring millions. With historic clubs that regularly win European competitions, the Premier League is arguably the best soccer league in the world. Few domestic leagues can rival the parity the league brings with so much talent at the top.
American fans love to watch that. With coverage available on NBC, USA Network and Peacock for English-language audiences, each matchday brings 10 games. Those games are easy to find, too, with how widespread viewing has become in the streaming world. That ease of access, the English-to-English language transfer and a history of Americans in the league has played a role in promoting the league. In the modern era, it is in a constant battle with Liga MX to emerge as the most popular league in the country.
Unsurprisingly, the more people that follow the league means more people are watching games. In 2023, the league reached its pinnacle when it comes to viewership. The Premier League recorded its five most-watched games in US history. These numbers are specific to English-language audiences on NBC or USA Network combined with the streaming audiences on Peacock or NBC Sports Digital. The following figures do not account for the Spanish-language audiences, which are also strong.
So, here are the five most-watched Premier League games in the history of US TV.
Most-watched Premier League games in US TV history
| Rank | Fixture | Date | Viewership (English-language TV and streaming) |
| 1 | Liverpool vs. Arsenal | Dec. 23, 2023 | 1.96 million |
| 2 | Arsenal vs. Manchester United. | Jan. 22, 2023 | 1.92 million |
| 3 | Liverpool vs. Manchester United. | Dec. 17, 2023 | 1.77 million |
| 4 | Arsenal vs. Manchester United. | Sep. 3, 2023 | 1.48 million |
| 5 | Tottenham Hotspur vs. Manchester City. | Feb. 5, 2023 | 1.47 million |
Some immediate themes pop out when looking at the five games that pulled in the biggest audiences. They are all traditional big-six clubs. Oftentimes, form and where these teams are in the table do come into play. The Liverpool game against Arsenal at the top of the list came when the two were at the top of the table. When Arsenal hosted Manchester United at the beginning of the year, the Red Devils were making a surge to the top of the table that Arsenal ultimately ended.
Still, the old rivalries play a key role in how many people watch games. It helps that Manchester United is the most popular team in the world that hails from the Premier League. Erik ten Hag’s side has been an enigma, but millions of Americans still watched the side draw at Anfield and lose at the Emirates this season.
Considering the Spanish-language audiences
Spanish-language audiences follow the same trend. However, the number of people watching on Universo or Telemundo differs. The most-watched game regardless of language in Premier League history on US TV is Jan. 22’s Arsenal-Manchester United game. That had a total audience delivery (TAD) of 2.31 million viewers. By comparison, the Liverpool-Arsenal game from Dec. 23 ranks second in the TAD department with 2.28 million.
Regardless, the audience for the Premier League is strong. Based on the trends shown in 2023, the English-language reach on TV and streaming for American audiences will continue to grow for NBC.
PHOTO: IMAGO