The NASCAR Cup Series returned to Sonoma Raceway on Sunday for the opening race of TNT Sports’ five-race summer slate, but the event averaged 1.8 million viewers. It was down from 2.2 million in 2025, and fans pointed to the ongoing FIFA World Cup, which has dominated television audiences across the United States since June.
The expanded 48-team FIFA World Cup has become the biggest sporting event in the country this summer, with the United States hosting 75% of the tournament’s matches. Millions of international fans have travelled across the country, while television audiences have surged as the competition enters the knockout stage.
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Against that backdrop, Sports Business Journal‘s Adam Stern shared the Sonoma ratings on X:
“@TNTSportsUS averaged 1.8 million viewers for Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series Toyota/Save Mart 350 @RaceSonoma, down from 2.2 million at the same track last year when the event took place in mid-July and didn’t have to compete against the @FIFAWorldCup.”
The comparison quickly sparked debate among fans. While some believed the World Cup had taken casual viewers away from NASCAR, many others rejected that explanation completely. One fan joked on X:
“Yes because people who like NASCAR also watch soccer 🤣”
Others shared a similar opinion.
“I’d bet a lot of money the World Cup had fu*kall to do with this,” one fan wrote.
“People watching kickball ain’t watching NASCAR,” another added.
Some fans, however, felt the scheduling conflict did have an impact.
“And that was against a weak Canada v South Africa matchup. Next week #nascar is up against Brazil v Norway and potentially England v Mexico. Not looking good,” wrote another.
“Definitely the World Cup is taking some casual viewers away,” added yet another.
Other viewers pointed to different reasons behind the decline. One X post read:
“Fifa bahaha. Road racing sucks. Why watch something you know the outcome. Maybe not 2 unpopular type races back to back. Anyways, back to real NASCAR racing this week.”
Another fan criticized accessibility:
“TNT Sports US app is not on Vizio Smart TVs, so I had to go through a bunch of trouble just to get the race on.”
A separate comment urged the governing body to lean further into streaming:
“Also a lot of people cut cable & don’t have access to TNT / Fox / FS1. That’s why so many of us hyped Prime coverage, because it is accessible anywhere. Just put @NASCAR on @SportsonPrime full time. Want to reach modern audiences then stop being antiquated where you broadcast.”
Whether the World Cup is responsible remains open to debate. The tournament has generated massive crowds, tourism, and TV numbers across the US, and interest is only expected to rise as the knockout rounds continue over the next three weeks.
NASCAR’s broader 2026 ratings picture extends beyond the World Cup
The Sonoma race is only one part of NASCAR’s television story this season. FOX’s portion of the Cup Series schedule averaged 3.11 million viewers, making it the network’s lowest-performing Cup season to date. The decline has been linked partly to the League’s new media rights structure, with fewer races airing on free-to-air television and more moving to FS1.
Even so, FOX’s over-the-air broadcasts remained relatively strong, while FS1 averaged around 2.37 million viewers. The broader criticism has centered less on the racing itself and more on accessibility as viewers increasingly move away from traditional cable packages.
Amazon Prime Video, meanwhile, has enjoyed a positive second season. Its five-race package averaged 2.29 million viewers, improving on last year’s figures and posting year-over-year gains at Charlotte, Michigan, and San Diego. Prime has also earned praise from fans for its production quality, in-depth analysis, post-race coverage, and modern presentation, with many pointing to it as a model for future broadcasts.
The Cup Series now moves to Chicagoland Speedway next weekend for the second event of TNT Sports’ Summer Series during the Fourth of July holiday weekend.
Edited by Anurup Chakraborty
