WWE NXT Pulls 610,000 Viewers on The CW Despite World Cup Competition

WWE NXT managed to grow its audience last Tuesday despite going head-to-head with World Cup coverage, averaging 610,000 viewers on The CW — an 11.3% jump from the week prior.

In the key 18-49 demographic, the show posted a 0.09 rating, matching the previous week’s figure and marking the best demo performance NXT has recorded in that category since May 5. Holding steady in the demo while also growing the overall audience is a notable double win for the brand, particularly given the competition it was up against.

World Cup matches routinely draw massive casual viewership, making them one of the toughest scheduling obstacles any weekly sports-entertainment program can face. That NXT not only avoided a ratings dip but actually climbed in total viewers speaks to the show’s current momentum on its relatively new broadcast home.

NXT moved to The CW at the start of the 2024–25 season as part of WWE’s expanded partnership with the network, giving the brand its first free, over-the-air broadcast presence in years. Finding consistent footing on a new channel while building a fresh audience has been a work in progress, so back-to-back strong demo results — now at their highest point since early May — represent a meaningful step in the right direction.

Whether NXT can sustain or build on those numbers heading into the holiday stretch will be worth watching as the product continues to develop its identity on The CW.