Telemundo to air UEFA competitions, including the Champions League, in new rights deal
Telemundo’s coverage of elite, global soccer won’t end after the World Cup final.Subscribe to read this story ad-freeGet unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.Telemundo has acquired the Spanish-language broadcast rights in the U.S.
for all UEFA men’s club competitions for three seasons, beginning in 2027-28, the company announced Sunday.The deal will bring live coverage of every match in the Champions League, the European tournament widely considered the world’s most prestigious club competition, across all of NBCUniversal’s broadcast, streaming and digital platforms, which include Peacock, Universo and Telemundo Deportes Ahora, its free, ad-supported television (FAST) channel.The package will also include the Spanish-language rights to UEFA’s Europa League, Conference League and Super Cup competitions.
(NBCUniversal is the parent company of NBC News and Telemundo.)After the World Cup drew record audiences for Telemundo, the next question was how to continue building on such interest, said Cesar Conde, the chairman of NBCUniversal News Group.The Champions League, which is played annually and features many of the stars who became household names in the U.S.
during the World Cup, was a natural answer.“The World Cup didn’t really create an American soccer audience; it revealed it,” Conde said.
“Premium soccer is just one of those truly global experiences that’s leapt out in the media ecosystem, and it brings people together from different backgrounds, different cultures, and different languages, and for something to be able to transcend all of that is very powerful in this current media ecosystem.”Luis Fernández, Chairman of NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises, described Telemundo’s overarching strategy as being based on “live TV, live TV live TV,” and that within live television, soccer’s appeal is uniquely broad and compelling.The company has invested heavily in the sport.
On Thursday, Telemundo announced it ...