Report: Samsung regains lead in North America TV market in Q1 2026
June 15, 2026


The FIFA World Cup 2026 kicked off on June 11th in Mexico City, opening the largest edition in the tournament’s history and the first hosted in North America in 32 years. For the North America TV market, the region’s MiniLED TV segment is expected to see significant volatility around it.

According to Counterpoint Research’s Quarterly Global TV Shipments Tracker, in 2025, Hisense led the North America MiniLED TV market in North America with a 32 per cent share, narrowly ahead of Samsung at 31 per cent per cent.


In Q1 2026, Samsung appears to have pulled decisively ahead, capturing 40 per cent against Hisense’s 27 per cent. Two forces converge on the second quarter: Hisense’s historical pattern of ramping shipments aggressively around its Q2 new-product launches, and tournament-driven demand concentrated in June and July. Together, they make Q2 the quarter that will define the 2026 race.

Hisense has tied its product strategy most explicitly to the event. An Official Sponsor of the FIFA World Cup 2026 and the exclusive supplier of VAR review displays timed its RGB Mini LED lineup (UR9/UR8, from $1,299.99) and its U7 series to the tournament window. In doing so, Hisense has brought a technology that debuted only last year on a $30,000, 116-inch halo model down to 55–100-inch consumer price points within a single product cycle.
Samsung, which holds no FIFA sponsorship, has responded on two fronts since late March 2026. The newly launched Micro RGB series (R95H/R85H, from $1,499.99) redefines the premium tier — likewise compressing what had been a $30,000 proposition at 115 inches into consumer price points — while at the entry level, the company’s first mainstream MiniLED range, the M-Series (M80H/M70H, from $329.99), counters the value-focused MiniLED offensive from Chinese brands. Samsung is filling the sponsorship gap with its platform instead: free FIFA+ programming on Samsung TV Plus, Vision AI features across the lineup — including a new AI Soccer Mode Pro on its Micro RGB sets — and pre-tournament retail promotions reaching up to $1,500 off.
“MiniLED TVs are a perfect match for sports events, with high peak brightness and wide color gamut to show the field and team uniforms in all their glory,” said Bob O’Brien, Research Director at Counterpoint Research. “According to Counterpoint Research’s Advanced TV Shipment Tracker and Insights Report, Samsung dominated the MiniLED category for years but may have been caught napping as Hisense introduced value-focused big-screen MiniLEDs. By sponsoring the World Cup, Hisense will boost its brand recognition as it hopes to climb into the top tier of TV brands. Samsung has responded with a product line that competes at all price points. No matter which brand comes on top, TV buyers will be the real winners.”