Telemundo Kicks World Cup Marketing Into High Gear: Sweeping Coverage, New Campaign

With about 100 days until the World Cup, Telemundo is making its pitch to viewers.

Today, Telemundo, the exclusive Spanish-language home of the tournament in the U.S., revealed details of its extensive coverage plans for the upcoming World Cup taking place in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, including the launch of a new marketing campaign aimed at bringing fans together.

Speaking with ADWEEK, Joaquin Duro, evp of sports and head of streaming, Telemundo, said there would be more than 700 hours of programming, including a live presence at all 104 matches, dedicated daily shows, and an extensive digital footprint. In addition, every match will stream live on Peacock and the Telemundo app.

Duro noted that Telemundo was aiming to be ambitious with its coverage plans, which had been more than two years in the making, with the network bringing live programming from 8 a.m. to 1 a.m. daily to show matches and provide additional shoulder programming.

“Every single product or every single type of content, from podcasts to free channels to DTC to shows to documentaries to news, entertainment, sports,” Duro said. “We’re covering everything from a multi-platform and multi-format approach.”

Kicking off a new campaign

To further reach fans, Telemundo is celebrating the release of its official World Cup song, “Somos Más,” and a new phase of its marketing campaign, “Y Tú, ¿Con Quién Lo Vas a Ver?” (“Who Will You Watch It With?”).

ADWEEK has the exclusive first look at the campaign’s 60-second ad here:

Unlike Telemundo’s recent Super Bowl spot, which focused on reaching general audiences with the help of Sofia Vergara and Owen Wilson, Duro said the latest campaign focuses more on Telemundo’s core Spanish-speaking audience.

The new campaign, which showcases a man going to great lengths to track down his friend, is Telemundo’s way of inviting viewers to watch the World Cup together.

“Hopefully, we can unite all of us,” Duro said. “Regardless of nationality or the color of your skin, we can think of, who are you going to watch it with? Who are you going to enjoy this with? Because nobody enjoys the World Cup alone.”

And Telemundo is bringing plenty of programming to keep viewers occupied.

The programming game plan

Among Telemundo’s broadcasts, the company will showcase a daily kickoff show, Hoy en el Mundial, which will preview the action. Other shows include Vive el Mundial, which will connect viewers with on-site talent, and Pasión Mundial, which serves as a bridge across the day’s schedule.

In addition, the Telemundo Deportes Ahora FAST channel will provide programming across platforms such as Peacock, Xumo, Roku, Prime Video, TCL, Google TV, and Comcast, casting a wide net and bringing more viewers into the Telemundo ecosystem, according to Duro.

Further enhancing its digital reach, Telemundo is also rolling out an ambitious social strategy across platforms such as TikTok, YouTube, and X. Among the social programming, El Mundial After Dark will be a nightly social-first recap across all Telemundo Deportes platforms, and The World Cup Match Watch Party will offer daily live match companion streams with influencers and guests in real-time.

Duro said the strategy was to reach as many people as possible, with programming starting out broader and becoming more soccer-specific and detailed closer to the matches.

“We talk to everyone. This is co-viewing for family,” Duro said. “I’m a soccer fan, but I also have many other interests. Many people are casual fans, so we need to cover everybody.”

That’s something advertisers will be counting on as the World Cup, which kicks off in June across the United States, Mexico, and Canada, is drawing fervent interest from brands.

Ads that are additive to the sport

Telemundo announced in December that its World Cup ad inventory was nearly sold out, with representation from nearly 60 brand partners across industries such as alcohol, auto, finance, QSR, retail, and telecom.

Duro noted that there were numerous ways Telemundo would incorporate sponsors for the upcoming matches, including things like banners on the screen, squeezeback ads, and hydration breaks, which allow the programming to cut to commercials.

“All of our clients have asked for it, our FIFA clients and FIFA sponsors, and we are very creative, and we’ve used it in the past,” Duro said of the hydration breaks.

However, Duro emphasized that he’s a fan himself and, above all, the programming will prioritize the viewer experience, with the broadcast staying on the action for critical moments.

“[We’re] always thinking about the fan and always thinking about that moment where they put a mic on top of the coach talking to somebody in a semifinal,” Duro said. “That content is very valuable, so we don’t want to miss it.”