⚽ Even some soccer fans who don't speak Spanish are finding themselves hooked on Telemundo's World Cup broadcasts this summer, Axios' Herb Scribner writes.

• The result: Record-breaking ratings and billions of minutes consumed, according to NBC Sports.

🔢 By the numbers: More than 42 million viewers tuned in Monday night across both Fox Sports and Telemundo for the USA vs. Belgium match, setting the record for the most-watched soccer telecast in U.S. history.

• England vs. Mexico drew nearly 45 million viewers between Telemundo (23.2 million) and Fox Sports (21.7 million) — beating viewership of some NFL playoff games.

🦊 Reality check: Fox Sports counters that it's dominating the FIFA World Cup across FOX, FS1 and Tubi, averaging 6.687 million viewers per telecast — nearly triple Telemundo/Universo, averaging 2.801 million viewers.

• Fox's coverage of the USA vs. Bosnia match on July 1 was the most-watched live sports event of the week, delivering 26.4 million viewers, according to Nielsen.
• Sports Business Journal notes that for technical reasons, some industry insiders are skeptical of some of the Telemundo data cited above.

🎙️ New viewers are discovering the charm and excitement that Telemundo brings to the game, most notably the electric "Goooooooooal!" celebration by announcer Andrés Cantor — something he trains to deliver, The New York Times reports (gift link).

• FIFA President Gianni Infantino told The Times: "It's pure commentary master class — taking the emotions from the field and transmitting them to a global audience, a skill that he has perfected over the years."

💰 The other side: The success of Telemundo is raising the stakes for future World Cup broadcast bids.

• Netflix, Disney and YouTube are reportedly eyeing the rights for future World Cups in deals worth $2 billion.
• Spanish-language rights — normally sold separately — could be sold with the English rights, CNBC reports, allowing FIFA to drive up the price.

Get the latest.

📱 Meta's recent move to allow users to create AI images using the likenesses of people with public Instagram accounts is drawing widespread backlash, Axios' Ina Fried reports.

• Why it matters: The criticism — from privacy advocates and celebrity representatives — underscores a central AI debate: Should companies need consent to use someone's face, or should people have to opt out?

💻 Catch up quick: Earlier this week, Meta debuted its Muse Image model and a feature within Meta AI that allowed people to tag any adult's public Instagram account and include that person's likeness in their creations.

• Users aren't notified when someone creates an AI image with their likeness.
• Instagram account holders have to opt out if they don't want their images used.

The other side: Meta says its image generation tool "has built-in protections designed to prevent the generation of policy-violating content, including violent, sexual, or defamatory imagery of real people."

• Watch how to opt out ... Get Axios AI+.

1. 🏡 President Trump will allow a housing bill to become law after canceling its signing ceremony more than two weeks ago — a mostly symbolic gesture, as the bill will become law at midnight with or without Trump's signature. Go deeper.
2. 🇪🇸 One of Spain's deadliest wildfires on record killed 12 people overnight, authorities said, with rising temperatures expected to continue this weekend, AP reports. Go deeper.
3. 🇮🇷 President Trump said today that the U.S. agreed to continue talks with Iran, but it will not adhere to the ceasefire anymore, Axios' Barak Ravid reports.
4. 🏀 LeBron James back to Cleveland? The "Cupcake Lady" — who famously predicted James' return to Ohio in 2014 — is back with another prediction: James is headed home, and he's bringing his ol' pal Draymond Green with him. See her prediction.

🏈 College football is 50 days away. In the meantime, consider this — what would happen if the Oregon Ducks battled a squad of Brutus Buckeyes?

• EA Sports' new "College Football 27," released worldwide yesterday, features a Mascot Mashup mode that lets you play football games as college mascots.
• That means big heads, giant paws and silly costumes.

🧠 Herb's thought bubble: "CFB 27" is a really fun, realistic football video game with a smart AI to play against, clean graphics and smooth gameplay that puts control in your hands.

• Mascot Mashup adds some levity to the gridiron grind.

🎮 My plan: Help Sam the Minuteman take down all of the other mascots.

• Watch the trailer ... ESPN's new preseason rankings.