Lionel Messi and Inter Miami’s MLS Cup 2025 win draws 4.6 million viewers, sets age and engagement records

Across all platforms, the 2025 MLS Cup reached 4.6 million viewers, making it one of the most-watched events in league history. Apple TV data showed the youngest MLS Cup audience ever, with roughly 70 percent of viewers under the age of 45, while average watch time stretched to around 70 minutes per viewer. 

That engagement extended well beyond the screen. Social media activity surged to a record 798 million impressions, representing a dramatic year-over-year increase and highlighting how MLS Cup has become a digital-first event for a younger, global audience.

Inter Miami CF capped the night by lifting their first MLS Cup with a 3-1 victory over the Vancouver Whitecaps FC in front of a sellout crowd of 21,550 at Chase Stadium. The occasion resonated far beyond South Florida, as more than 20,000 supporters gathered at BC Place in Vancouver for the largest away viewing party in MLS Cup history, underscoring the scale of fan investment on both sides.

Viewership was spread across a wide distribution network, with more than 3.6 million fans watching via Apple TV, MLS Season Pass, TSN, RDS, FOX, Fox Deportes, TNT, HBO Max in Mexico and additional partners. In the United States, preliminary Nielsen panel data showed just under one million viewers for the full match window on FOX and Fox Deportes, with further measurement updates expected.

Internationally, fans from more than 100 countries tuned in, reinforcing MLS Cup’s expanding global footprint.

Inter Miami will start their title defense on Feb. 21, when they travel to face Son Heung-Min's LAFC.