Telemundo has extended its soccer coverage beyond the World Cup, acquiring three-season Spanish-language broadcast rights for UEFA men’s club competitions in the U.S. The package begins in 2027-28 and includes the Champions League, Europa League, Conference League, and Super Cup. Matches will be shown across NBCUniversal’s platforms, such as Peacock, Universo, and Telemundo Deportes Ahora.
Following the World Cup’s significant viewership, NBCUniversal News Group chairman Cesar Conde noted the importance of maintaining soccer interest. With household names emerging from the World Cup, the annual Champions League offers continued engagement. “The World Cup didn’t create an American soccer audience; it revealed it,” Conde said, highlighting soccer’s global appeal and unity.
Telemundo has heavily invested in live sports. It broadcasts Germany’s Bundesliga, Premier League, Olympics, and U.S. national teams among others. Chairman Luis Fernández emphasized live TV’s broad soccer appeal. He identified the World Cup and Champions League as top football brands.
The soccer viewership in the U.S. is growing. Through semifinals, Telemundo averaged 6 million viewers, a 147% increase from the previous World Cup. A record 50 million watched the U.S. round of 16 match in the World Cup. Post-U.S. team departure, Argentina’s semifinal win over England attracted 11.4 million viewers on Telemundo and Peacock, marking a Spanish-language media record.
Telemundo reaches 96% of U.S. Hispanic TV households. Surprisingly, part of its audience spans beyond Spanish speakers. Variety reported Telemundo broadcasts captured over half of some matches’ audiences. Conde highlighted fans’ preference for authenticity over language in consuming premium soccer. UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin praised the agreement, seeing the passion of Spanish-speaking U.S. fans.