Brazil 2014: 24.7m Americans watch US-Portugal (2-2), breaking record for soccer

24.7m American viewers were tuned in on average during the second match of the United States in the 2014 World Cup, facing Portugal (2-2), on 22/06/2014, which is the largest viewership ever in the United States for a football match.

As with all matches of the U.S. national team during the 2014 World Cup, USA-Portugal was broadcast on two channels: in English on ESPN, which attracted 18.2m viewers, and in Spanish on Univision, which got 6.5m.

These figures are greater than the averages recorded during the final five games of the 2014 NBA (National Basketball Association) and the six matches of the 2013 World Series of the MLB (Major League Baseball), which had, respectively, 15.5m and 14.9m viewers. ESPN said that the United States - Portugal match got the largest ratings in its history aside from the NFL (National Football League, the league for American football) and the university championships for American football.

• The previous record audience for a football game in the United States was held by the final of the 1999 Women's World Cup between the United States and China (0-0…