Telemundo Surges Past Univision as Top Spanish World Cup Broadcaster

WHO:

CNN - Giovanni Canales, 24, raised in Rhode Island; Andrés Cantor, sportscaster; Meghan Dyer Pavs, former elementary school teacher; Trevor Noah, comedian; Tania Apolinar, owner of Socceria; Alexi Lalas, analyst; Courtney Nam, patron; Kevin Gleason, patron; Josh Borock, partner at Socceria; Alex, fluent Spanish speaker; Emily Hittner, patron.

TheDesk.net - Telemundo, Univision, Comcast, NBC Universal, Televisa-Univision.

WHAT:

nbcuniversal media - Telemundo delivered more than 700 hours of coverage across broadcast, streaming, and digital platforms for the FIFA World Cup 2026™, covering all 104 matches across 16 host cities.

nbcuniversal media - Telemundo Center, which spans more than 500,000 square feet, includes 13 studios, 48 open-edit workstations, and seven control rooms.

nbcuniversal media - Telemundo Center employs more than 1,300 individuals across various roles, producing and delivering over 3,000 hours of content annually.

CNN - Telemundo reported that it is pacing at “more than double” its audience for the 2022 tournament in Qatar.

Fast Company - Andrés Cantor has called 15 matches for the 2026 World Cup, traveling over 20,000 miles from city to city to attend the games scattered around North America.

Fast Company - Miguel Lorenzo, a senior vice president at Telemundo Deportes, stated that this year’s tournament has been the most watched in the Spanish language in the country, with “half of the country of the United States” watching the World Cup in Spanish on Telemundo.

Fast Company - Cantor mentioned that he has done five campaigns during this World Cup, but was approached by another five or six brands for potential endorsements.

CNN - Telemundo's broadcasts of the World Cup have attracted a record 23.2 million viewers for the July 5 match between Mexico and England.

CNN - Fox Sports had around 21.7 million viewers for the same game.

TheDesk.net - Telemundo averaged at least 3.29 million viewers in prime-time from June 16 to July 12.

TheDesk.net - Telemundo was the second most-watched broadcast network in America during prime-time hours, surpassing NBC (2.31 million viewers), ABC (2.26 million viewers), and CBS (2.13 million viewers).

TheDesk.net - Univision attracted an average weekly audience of 820,000 viewers during the same four-week period.

TheDesk.net - Telemundo's national news program "Noticias Telemundo" garnered 1.44 million viewers during the week ending July 12.

WHERE:

CNN - Socceria, a soccer-themed cantina in Brooklyn.

TheDesk.net - Telemundo is a Comcast-owned network in the United States.

WHEN:

TheDesk.net - The FIFA World Cup men’s soccer tournament started June 15.

TheDesk.net - The four-week measurement period for viewership data was from June 16 to July 12.

TheDesk.net - The five-week measurement period for viewership data was from June 8 to July 12.

WHY:

nbcuniversal media - The initiative "Tu Momento. Tu Jugada." aims to bring communities together through soccer, engaging tens of thousands of participants across key markets.

CNN - The increase in viewership for Telemundo is attributed to a deliberate strategy to attract non-Spanish speakers, including a Super Bowl ad featuring Owen Wilson.

CNN - Viewers prefer Telemundo for its passionate and energetic commentary, which is seen as more engaging.

HOW:

nbcuniversal media - Telemundo's coverage involves extensive coordination between teams in the field and production professionals based in Miami, connecting operations in real time.

CNN - Telemundo does not cut to commercials during hydration breaks, allowing viewers to witness key moments.

TheDesk.net - Telemundo shares domestic broadcast rights to the 2026 FIFA World Cup with Fox, which airs games with English-language commentary.

Telemundo has made a significant impact with over 700 hours of coverage for the FIFA World Cup 2026™, showcasing all 104 matches across 16 host cities through various platforms. The Telemundo Center, a massive facility covering more than 500,000 square feet, is home to 13 studios and employs over 1,300 individuals, producing more than 3,000 hours of content each year. Their initiative "Tu Momento. Tu Jugada." is designed to unite communities through soccer, engaging tens of thousands of participants in key markets while ensuring seamless coordination between field teams and production professionals in Miami.