The FIFA World Cup 2026 did more than draw huge TV audiences. It also delivered a huge burst of new subscribers for FOX One.
According to a new Antenna study, FOX One pulled in 2.8 million sign-ups in June 2026, which was the biggest acquisition month the service has seen since launching in August 2025. The timing comes as June 11, the opening day of the World Cup, alone accounted for 400,000 sign-ups. The summer surge is another example of how live sports still have the power to move streaming subscriptions in a big way.
World Cup drove new users, not just returning ones
Antenna’s data shows this was mostly a fresh-acquisition moment for FOX One, not a comeback story for former subscribers. The research shows 93% of June gross additions were new subscribers, while only 7% were returning customers who had subscribed and canceled within the previous 12 months. The data suggest the World Cup did not simply bring back a dormant audience. Instead, it helped FOX One reach people who had not previously signed up for the service.
Distribution shifted as demand grew, and a retention test is ahead
Antenna also found that FOX One’s sign-ups came through a wider mix of distributors in June. Direct distribution was the biggest source at 40% of sign-ups. YouTube Primetime Channels, which started carrying FOX One on June 1, accounted for 15% of the mix in its first month, with most of that activity arriving after the World Cup began. Amazon Channels, which had been FOX One’s top distribution partner from launch through May and drove 58% of sign-ups in that stretch, fell to 19% in June as demand spread across more platforms.
Antenna notes that FOX One’s next challenge is keeping the audience it won during the tournament. With the 2026/2027 NFL season about to begin, the service will get a new test of whether those June sign-ups stick around once the World Cup glow fades.
With sports-driven streaming spikes, a giant event can bring in a massive wave of sign-ups, but the long-term value depends on how many customers stay for the big next season. Just last month, UFC Freedom 250 at the White House drove a 276% spike in Paramount+ downloads, according to Sensor Tower data. The same report said downloads jumped 184% from Saturday to Sunday, daily active users rose 17% from the previous day, and usage remained well above normal throughout the weekend.
Put simply, huge live sporting events are still one of the strongest subscription engines in streaming. FOX One just got the latest reminder.