U.S. Soccer, Telemundo agree on 4-year Spanish language broadcast deal

The United States national soccer teams will be available to watch on TV in Spanish for at least the next 4 years. Today, U.S. Soccer announced that they have agreed to a Spanish-language media rights deal with Telemundo that will last through the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The deal takes effect immediately, which means that tonight’s USWNT friendly against New Zealand will be broadcast on linear TV on Telemundo. The deal includes more than 20 USMNT and USWNT matches per year, including all U.S Soccer-controlled matches like friendlies, SheBelieves Cup, and select Concacaf Nations League matches. It’s the first time, according to U.S. Soccer chief commercial officer David Wright, that a Spanish-language broadcast deal has included the showing of every USMNT and USWNT match.

Telemundo will spread those matches out across its family of networks and platforms, including Telemundo, cable network Universo, and streaming on Peacock and Telemundo’s digital platforms. Tonight’s USWNT friendly will be shown on Universo and stream on Peacock and the Telemundo app.

According to the Sports Business Journal, Wright described the Spanish-language agreement as the “second leg” to the organization’s 4-legged approach to media rights. The English-language deal with Warner Bros. Discovery Sports was the first leg. Wright said they are working on international rights as well as a radio deal to complete the “media stool.” Telemundo separately has the rights to the 2023 Women’s World Cup, the 2024 Summer Olympics, and the 2026 Men’s World Cup, so fans will have a familiar Spanish-language outlet for almost all U.S. Soccer matches for the next 4 years.

This is welcome news for fans of the national teams who do not have HBO Max, and it means that bars will be free to show the matches in Spanish on linear TV and not have to worry about HBO Max’s very limited commercial reach.

Hit the comments to discuss this Spanish-language deal being done in the nick of time!