USA vs Canada Women's Hockey Final Sets Viewership Record

Somewhere out there in the world, there remains an ignorant member of the human race still uttering the phrase, "nobody cares about women's sports." And somewhere out there in the world, they are dead wrong; the Team USA and Canada women's ice hockey gold medal game at the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics proved that by shattering the record in becoming the most-watched women’s hockey game ever.

The broadcast averaged 5.3 million viewers and peaked at 7.7 million during overtime, according to Front Office Sports. This spike in viewership of women's hockey comes after the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) set an attendance record with their home opener in Nov., seating 16,014 fans at Climate Pledge Arena — which is also home to the NHL's Seattle Kraken.

The PWHL would go on throughout the year to see high attendance numbers and fans coming out in droves for their "Takeover Tour" across the U.S., leading to the PWHL now making its Madison Square Garden debut on April 4 when the New York Sirens face off against the Seattle Torrent.

The 7.7 million that tuned into the women's gold medal game witnessed the Americans achieve their third Olympic gold medal (1998, 2018 and now 2026).

Per NBC, the USA vs Canada gold medal game set a new record as the most-watched women’s hockey game ever.

The broadcast averaged 5.3 million viewers and peaked at 7.7 million during overtime. pic.twitter.com/Bwy1MqoIHF
— Front Office Sports (@FOS) February 20, 2026

The matchup that drew incredibly high viewers for women's sports marked the 13th all-time meeting between the U.S. and Canada at the Olympics. The U.S. was 3-11-6 against Canada in Olympic contests. Team USA has now earned its eighth straight Olympic Winter Games medal; The red, white and blue have medaled in every Olympics that women's hockey has been staged.

USA Hockey Sees Historic 2026 Winter Olympics

In addition to making history via the previously referenced viewership record, the 2026 Winter Olympics were historic as a whole for USA Hockey in other ways.

2026 saw NHL players return to the Winter Olympics for the first time since 2014 — undoubtedly causing a rise in viewership numbers throughout the entire hockey tournament.

The U.S. men's team also won gold, with this latest gold medal win taking place on Feb. 22, 2026, which serves as the 46th anniversary of when Team USA defeated the Soviet Union in Lake Placid, New York, in the ever-iconic "Miracle on Ice" game. Both the men's and women's teams from the U.S. went the entire 2026 Games perfect on the penalty kill; the men were 18 for 18 while the women were 14 for 14.

USA's Caroline Harvey was named Most Valuable Player of the women's ice hockey event, in addition to being voted to the media All-Star Team and also being named Best Defender by the tournament directorate. Harvey led the Milano Cortina tournament in scoring and was previously named to the International Ice Hockey Federation World Championship All-Star Team.

Hilary Knight, who became the all-time leading Olympic goal scorer for the red, white and blue was also selected as one of the American flag bearers for the Milano Cortina Closing Ceremony.

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