One week. Two huge, huge victories for England at the FIFA World Cup 2026. Building on the epic round-of-16 clash against Mexico last Monday morning, the Three Lions took on Erling Haaland, Norway, and the searing heat and humidity in Miami on Saturday to book a massive semi-final showdown with Argentina and their main man, Lionel Messi. He may be the GOAT, but with King Kane and brilliant Bellingham performing miracles, and the entire squad built around them, our two star men are set to shine again in Atlanta on Wednesday. The game’s favourable 8 pm BST kick-off time also means the country will be able to watch along at home or in the pub – venues that are already reporting record trade thanks to the exploits of England’s tournament heroes.
Last week, the round-of-16 and quarter-final stages of the FIFA World Cup 2026 delivered Ozone’s biggest weekly Football audience to date. The 13.4m Football users represented a 15% rise week on week and was more than double the 2025/2026 season average (an extra 6.9m users). Weekly audience engagement also hit a record high; 95m Football page views rose 24% week on week, tracking 90% higher than the season average.
Early risers ride the Mexican wave
The tone for this record-breaking week was set immediately on Monday morning as England’s dramatic thriller against Mexico unfolded. Now hailed as an all-time World Cup classic, the match-day drama saw our daily Football audience hit a tournament high, drawing a massive 5.2m unique users – a spectacular 34% spike compared to the Sunday before. Engagement was incredibly deep, with fans locked into premium match content as Jude Bellingham’s rapid-fire double and a clinical Harry Kane penalty got the nation giddy. This drove a whopping 18.4m match-day page views, marking a 43% surge in engagement versus Sunday, with overall daily user numbers tracking 2.1x higher than the week’s average.
Bellingham double sinks Norway
Saturday’s quarter-final clash with Norway shifted the audience dynamic entirely. Kicking off at a prime 10pm BST, the match was broadcast onto big screens in packed pubs, fan zones and living rooms across the UK. Yet, even with eyes fixed on the television, fans were intensely second-screening on our platform to track live stats and commentary. Engagement built steadily through the afternoon, with hourly users running 33% higher than the daily average between 2pm and 6pm, before skyrocketing to 68% higher in the immediate pre-game period from 7pm to 11pm. Right as the whistle blew at 10pm, the active football audience across our platform was more than double the day’s average, proving that live TV coverage actively fuels real-time digital engagement.
Dynamic duo dominate share of voice
This incredible scale is being driven by unparalleled interest in the national team, with England reaching a dominant 6.7m unique users to become the most-read-about side in the country. Behind the team data, a fascinating battle for share of voice is playing out among the squad’s leading figures. Captain Harry Kane has officially overtaken manager Thomas Tuchel to lead individual attention with a reach of 4.5m users. Meanwhile, tournament hero Jude Bellingham is currently tied with the boss at 4.4m users, though his engagement is rising at an astronomical rate, up 2.9x week on week.
While England’s star men continue to dominate for share of voice by football users, a massive digital wave is already building for the opposition ahead of Wednesday’s monumental semi-final in Atlanta. Lionel Messi’s share of voice has climbed 92% week on week as UK fans flock to preview the ultimate showdown. With prime-time viewing ahead and millions of fans deeply connected to our publishers, this historic tournament engagement offers an unmatched, premium environment for brands wanting to align with the emotion of the nation.
