Telemundo Secures Spanish-Language Rights for UEFA Competitions

Telemundo will continue its elite soccer coverage beyond the World Cup. The network has obtained Spanish-language broadcast rights in the U.S. for all UEFA men’s club competitions for three seasons, starting in 2027-28. This announcement was made on Sunday by the company.

The agreement includes live broadcasts of every Champions League match, considered the most prestigious club competition worldwide, across NBCUniversal’s platforms. These platforms encompass Peacock, Universo, and Telemundo Deportes Ahora, a free, ad-supported television channel. Additionally, the package involves Spanish-language rights to UEFA’s Europa League, Conference League, and Super Cup competitions. NBCUniversal, which owns Telemundo, is also the parent company of NBC News.

Following record World Cup viewership for Telemundo, the next step was to maintain audience engagement, stated Cesar Conde, NBCUniversal News Group chairman. The annually held Champions League, featuring many World Cup stars, was the ideal continuation. Conde remarked, “The World Cup didn’t create an American soccer audience; it revealed it.” Soccer is seen as a global experience that unites people across cultures and languages, offering a powerful connection in today’s media landscape.

Luis Fernández, Chairman of NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises, outlined the network’s strategy focused on live TV, with soccer’s wide appeal as a pivotal element. Telemundo has significantly invested in soccer, recently announcing it will broadcast over 100 matches from Germany’s Bundesliga. The company also covers Spanish-language broadcasts for the Premier League, Olympics, U.S. national teams, and Liga MX clubs Guadalajara, FC Juárez, and Tigres UANL. Fernández mentioned, “If you ask what is the most important franchise brand sports rights in football and soccer, there are only two names: World Cup for the national teams and Champions League for the most important clubs in the world.”

This deal arrives amidst growing U.S. soccer viewership. An audience of 50 million watched the U.S. match during the World Cup’s round of 16, making it the most-viewed non-NFL sporting event of the century. Post U.S. team’s exit, records continued to be set. Argentina’s victory over England attracted an audience of 11.4 million on Telemundo and Peacock, becoming the most-watched semifinal in Spanish-language media history. Spain’s victory over France drew 9.8 million viewers.

Telemundo reaches 96% of U.S. Hispanic TV households, and its World Cup broadcasts appealed to both Spanish and non-Spanish speakers. Although Hispanics comprise about 20% of the U.S. population, Telemundo’s broadcasts accounted for over half of some matches’ total audience, including the exciting round of 16 match between England and Mexico. Conde observed, “Fans increasingly aren’t choosing to consume premium soccer based only on language; they’re choosing it based on authenticity and the experience they want.”

Aleksander Čeferin, UEFA President, remarked that the agreement with Telemundo highlights the competitions’ strength and the passion of Spanish-speaking fans in the U.S.