The ten US telecasts with the largest Nielsen average audiences, all Super Bowls, led by Super Bowl LIX's 127.7 million viewers in 2025.
Super Bowl LIX (2025), played February 9, 2025, is the most-watched US telecast on record, with a Nielsen average audience of 127.7 million viewers. Super Bowl LX (2026) is second at 125.6 million and Super Bowl LVIII (2024) third at 123.7 million. Ranking is by Nielsen average viewers, through Super Bowl LX in February 2026.
Every one of the ten most-watched telecasts in US history is a Super Bowl, and the three biggest are the three most recent games before this update. Audiences have grown partly because Nielsen now adds Spanish-language simulcasts, streaming and out-of-home viewing to the main broadcast. The most-watched non-sports program, the 1983 M*A*S*H finale, ranks 13th, and the Apollo 11 moon landing is left out because no comparable Nielsen average-audience figure exists for it.
Super Bowl LIX averaged 127.7 million viewers across Fox, Fox Deportes, Telemundo and the Tubi stream, the largest average audience Nielsen has recorded for a US telecast. The Eagles beat the Chiefs 40-22 in New Orleans, and Kendrick Lamar's halftime show was estimated at 133.5 million viewers.
Super Bowl LX averaged 125.6 million viewers in Nielsen's final figure (its first release said 124.9 million), second only to the previous year's game. It set a record peak audience of 137.8 million in the second quarter. The Seahawks beat the Patriots 29-13.
Super Bowl LVIII averaged 123.7 million viewers across CBS, Univision and Nickelodeon's kids' version, a record at the time. The Chiefs beat the 49ers in overtime, only the second Super Bowl to go to overtime.
Super Bowl LVII averaged 115.1 million viewers. The Chiefs beat the Eagles 38-35 on a field goal in the final seconds, and Rihanna headlined the halftime show.
Super Bowl XLIX averaged 114.8 million viewers. The Patriots beat the Seahawks 28-24 after New England cornerback Malcolm Butler intercepted Russell Wilson at the goal line with 20 seconds left.
Super Bowl XLVIII averaged 112.8 million viewers even though Seattle routed Denver 43-8, starting with a safety on the game's first play from scrimmage.
Super Bowl 50 averaged 112.3 million viewers. Denver's defense beat Carolina 24-10, linebacker Von Miller was named MVP, and Coldplay headlined halftime with Beyonce and Bruno Mars.
Super Bowl LI averaged 112.0 million viewers. The Patriots came back from 28-3 down to beat the Falcons 34-28 in the first Super Bowl decided in overtime.
Super Bowl XLVI averaged 111.3 million viewers on NBC alone. The Giants beat the Patriots 21-17 in Indianapolis, and Eli Manning was named MVP.
Super Bowl XLV averaged 111.0 million viewers on Fox, passing the 1983 M*A*S*H finale's long-standing record for a single network. The Packers beat the Steelers 31-25 in Arlington, Texas.
| # | Name | Date | Network(s) | Result | Average viewers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Super Bowl LIX (2025) | February 9, 2025 | Fox / Fox Deportes / Telemundo / Tubi | Philadelphia Eagles 40, Kansas City Chiefs 22 | 127.7 million |
| 2 | Super Bowl LX (2026) | February 8, 2026 | NBC / Universo / Peacock | Seattle Seahawks 29, New England Patriots 13 | 125.6 million |
| 3 | Super Bowl LVIII (2024) | February 11, 2024 | CBS / Univision / Nickelodeon | Kansas City Chiefs 25, San Francisco 49ers 22 (OT) | 123.7 million |
| 4 | Super Bowl LVII (2023) | February 12, 2023 | Fox / Fox Deportes | Kansas City Chiefs 38, Philadelphia Eagles 35 | 115.1 million |
| 5 | Super Bowl XLIX (2015) | February 1, 2015 | NBC / Universo | New England Patriots 28, Seattle Seahawks 24 | 114.8 million |
| 6 | Super Bowl XLVIII (2014) | February 2, 2014 | Fox / Fox Deportes | Seattle Seahawks 43, Denver Broncos 8 | 112.8 million |
| 7 | Super Bowl 50 (2016) | February 7, 2016 | CBS / ESPN Deportes | Denver Broncos 24, Carolina Panthers 10 | 112.3 million |
| 8 | Super Bowl LI (2017) | February 5, 2017 | Fox / Fox Deportes | New England Patriots 34, Atlanta Falcons 28 (OT) | 112.0 million |
| 9 | Super Bowl XLVI (2012) | February 5, 2012 | NBC | New York Giants 21, New England Patriots 17 | 111.3 million |
| 10 | Super Bowl XLV (2011) | February 6, 2011 | Fox | Green Bay Packers 31, Pittsburgh Steelers 25 | 111.0 million |
Telecasts are ranked by Nielsen average audience (average viewers per minute, in millions), as listed in the Nielsen-sourced top-20 table of Wikipedia's List of most watched television broadcasts in the United States, accessed October 18, 2026. For each Super Bowl the figure covers every network and stream that carried the game in the US, as Nielsen reported it, so recent games include Spanish-language simulcasts and streaming. Peak and halftime audiences are not used for ranking. The Apollo 11 moon landing (July 20, 1969) is excluded: its widely quoted 125-150 million is an estimate of people who watched, not a Nielsen average audience, and Nielsen published only household figures for it. Super Bowl LX uses Nielsen's revised 125.6 million rather than its first release of 124.9 million. Rank 1 is the largest audience.
By Nielsen average audience, Super Bowl LIX on February 9, 2025, with 127.7 million viewers across Fox, Fox Deportes, Telemundo and Tubi. The Apollo 11 moon landing is often said to have reached 125-150 million people, but that is an estimate, not a Nielsen average-audience figure, so it cannot be compared directly.
The M*A*S*H finale, "Goodbye, Farewell and Amen" (CBS, February 28, 1983), averaged 105.97 million viewers and ranks 13th. It was the most-watched US telecast until Super Bowl XLIV in 2010 and is still the most-watched non-sports broadcast.
Super Bowl LX in 2026, which peaked at 137.8 million viewers during the second quarter, although its average (125.6 million) was below Super Bowl LIX's.
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