Telemundo Expands Soccer Coverage with UEFA Rights Acquisition

Telemundo is set to continue its extensive soccer coverage beyond the World Cup final, as the network has secured the Spanish-language broadcast rights in the U.S. for all UEFA men’s club competitions for three seasons starting in 2027-28. This announcement means soccer fans can look forward to live coverage of every match in the Champions League, Europe’s prestigious club tournament, on various NBCUniversal platforms, including Peacock, Universo, and Telemundo Deportes Ahora, a free, ad-supported television channel.

In addition to the Champions League, the package will encompass the Spanish-language rights to UEFA’s Europa League, Conference League, and Super Cup. NBCUniversal, the parent company of Telemundo, aims to leverage the success of the World Cup which attracted record audiences in the U.S. Cesar Conde, chairman of NBCUniversal News Group, emphasized that the World Cup didn’t create an American soccer audience; instead, it highlighted the existing interest in premium soccer experiences.

With a strategy focused on live television, Telemundo continues to invest in soccer’s broad appeal. As part of the expansion, the network plans to deliver over 100 matches per season from Germany’s Bundesliga. The network already broadcasts Spanish-language coverage for the Premier League, the Olympics, U.S. national team matches, and Liga MX clubs like Guadalajara, FC Juárez, and Tigres UANL. Luis Fernández, Chairman of NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises, emphasized that major soccer franchises like the World Cup for national teams and the Champions League for club teams are of paramount importance for audiences.

Soccer viewership is surging in the U.S., and Telemundo’s coverage of the semifinals averaged a total audience of 6 million, up 147% from the 2022 World Cup. A record audience of 50 million watched the U.S. match in the round of 16, making it the most-watched non-NFL sporting event this century. The interest remained high even after the U.S. team exited, with 11.4 million viewers tuning in for Argentina’s win over England on Telemundo and Peacock, marking a milestone in Spanish-language media.

Telemundo reaches 96% of U.S. Hispanic TV households, but its broadcasts have also attracted non-Spanish speakers. Despite only 20% of the U.S. population being Hispanic, more than half of some matches’ audiences were drawn to Telemundo’s broadcasts. Increasingly, fans choose premium soccer coverage based on the authenticity and experience rather than language, noted Conde. This authenticity can transcend language and demographic barriers.

Aleksander Čeferin, UEFA President and chair of UC3, which handles UEFA’s media rights, stated that the agreement with Telemundo signifies the strength of UEFA competitions and the passion of Spanish-speaking fans in the U.S.