Telemundo and Peacock Kick-Off FIFA World Cup 2026™ with Record-Breaking Viewership Across Opening Weekend

Telemundo’s Spanish-language coverage of the FIFA World Cup 2026™ continued to break records throughout the first weekend of world class match-ups taking place across Mexico, Canada and the Unites States averaging a Total Audience Delivery of 7.5 million viewers through the first 12 games of the tournament, capturing an average of 53% of the total World Cup audience in the U.S.  

Last Friday’s US Men’s National Team inaugural match against Paraguay became the most-watched USMNT FIFA World Cup match ever on Spanish-language television, with a Total Audience Delivery (TAD) of 9.5 million, delivering +174% versus the USMNT’s first Group Stage match in the 2022 tournament.

The Ecuador vs. Ivory Coast match on Sunday, June 14 ranked as Ecuador’s most-watched World Cup match ever on Spanish-language television, delivering 9.2 million viewers and surpassing their prior record during the 2022 opening game vs. Qatar by +126%. 

These matches come on the heels of Thursday’s record-breaking inaugural match between Mexico and South Africa at Mexico City Stadium, which delivered 13.4 million total viewers and was the most-watched FIFA World Cup Opening Game in history, regardless of language, and the most-watched men’s game ever in Spanish-language television.

To date, ten games have delivered a TAD of at least 5 million viewers, while no games had reached this delivery at the comparable game count in 2022.

Across Peacock and Telemundo’s digital streaming platforms, the tournament-to-date (June 11- June 14) has delivered an Average Minute Audience (AMA) of 2.5 million viewers, representing 34% of the total audience and marking a +289% increase in AMA when compared to the first 12 matches in 2022 (652K AMA).

Following are highlights for each match of the opening weekend (Thursday, June 11 – Sunday, June 14):

* Preliminary TAD

Telemundo will deliver more than 700 hours of World Cup programming from June 11 to July 19, 2026—the most ever for a Spanish-language presentation in the United States—including all 104 matches live. A total of 92 matches will air on Telemundo and 12 on Universo, marking the most FIFA World Cup™ matches ever broadcast on a U.S. network, regardless of language. Every match will stream live on Peacock and the Telemundo App, with on-site production at all 104 matches across the United States, Mexico, and Canada, providing unmatched access and real-time storytelling from every host venue. 

Source: Nielsen Big Data + Panel, L+SD, match window for TAD; Adobe Analytics. 6/11/26-6/14/26.

How to Watch the FIFA World Cup 2026™   

Telemundo will deliver more than 700 hours of World Cup programming from June 11 to July 19, 2026—the most ever for a Spanish-language presentation in the United States—including all 104 matches live. A total of 92 matches will air on Telemundo and 12 on Universo, marking the most FIFA World Cup™ matches ever broadcast on a U.S. network, regardless of language. Every match will stream live on Peacock and the Telemundo App, with on-site production at all 104 matches across the United States, Mexico, and Canada, providing unmatched access and real-time storytelling from every host venue.  

As the streaming home of Telemundo, Peacock will deliver Telemundo’s comprehensive coverage of all 104 FIFA World Cup 2026™ matches live in Spanish, enhanced by Dolby Atmos® immersive sound and Peacock’s industry-leading interactive features. Fans can explore a new Spanish-language World Cup Hub featuring live matches alongside popular Peacock features like Multiview, Catch Up with Key Plays, Can’t Miss Highlights, Live Picks and Trivia – available in Spanish for the first time. Complementing this are new features such as Visión de Campo and Tu Bracket for select matches, transforming viewing into active participation and extending engagement beyond the live match.