Ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 being shared among the three North American countries, Telemundo, the U.S. Spanish-language media rights holder, announced it has already sold 90% of its ad inventory.
The network and its parent company, NBCUniversal, report that they have secured robust deals with nearly 60 brand partners across industries such as alcohol, auto, finance, QSR, retail, and telecom.
Confirmed marketing partners include Anheuser-Busch, AT&T, Bank of America, The Coca-Cola Company, Diageo, McDonald’s, Toyota, Volkswagen of America, and Xfinity.
“The growth of soccer in the United States coupled with the domestic nature of the 2026 FIFA World Cup and rising demand for both live sports and Spanish language content has proved to be the winning formula for our company, as NBCUniversal sits in its strongest position ever this far out from a FIFA World Cup tournament,” said Peter Lazarus, evp NBC Sports and Olympics, advertising and partnerships.
Telemundo is recording double the ad spend compared to the 2022 FIFA World Cup and notes that it is generating more digital participation from brands, engaging with a more diversified client base, and seeing more sporting activations ahead of the tournament kicking off in June.
“The unprecedented demand for the World Cup 2026 underscores the undeniable power of Latino fans as an economic engine shaping the future of sports and culture in America,” Monica Gil, chief administrative and marketing officer, NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises, said. “Advertisers recognize the opportunity this moment presents—a once-in-a-lifetime tournament taking place across North America—to drive engagement, loyalty, and cultural relevance at scale.”
Telemundo is planning to cover next year’s World Cup in a big way, airing all 104 matches live, with 92 on Telemundo and the remaining 12 on Universo. These matches will also stream live on Peacock and the Telemundo app.
In addition, the network will have studio sets on location in Mexico, Miami, and New York. It will also have an on-site presence at every match across all 16 host cities, making it Telemundo’s largest-ever production footprint.
