Peacock Announces Complete Plans to Air World Cup Games in Spanish; 12 Matches to Stream for Free
Sports fans around the globe are getting ready to turn their attention to the pitch as the World Cup is just one month away. On Monday, Peacock announced its complete coverage plans for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, which will kick off on Sunday, Nov. 20. Every match of the tournament will stream live on the NBCUniversal streaming service in Spanish via Tplus, Telemundo’s digital content brand. In addition to the games, Peacock will offer a dedicated World Cup Hub and the Copa Mundial 24/7 Virtual Channel in Spanish with hours of coverage every day to cover the tournament from every imaginable angle.
The World Cup matches will be broadcast in English in the United States on the FOX family of networks and Tubi will be the on-demand streaming home for games in English after they have been completed, which means that Peacock will be the only direct-to-consumer (DTC) streaming service in the United States to broadcast live coverage of all 64 matches of the World Cup.
Tubi will also air World Cup content on free ad-supported TV (FAST) channels while Peacock will air hour-long pre and post-match coverage live from Qatar.
“Peacock is thrilled to stream for the first time the biggest global soccer event, the FIFA World Cup.” Peacock’s Chief Commercial Officer Rick Cordella said. “Our offering on Peacock will complement and extend Telemundo Deportes programming to a wider audience with 24/7 World Cup content carefully curated and created for younger audiences with the purpose of serving the full spectrum of Hispanic audiences and soccer fans in the U.S.”
To celebrate the world’s most popular sporting event, Peacock is making the first 12 matches of the tournament available to everyone on the service’s free tier, while the remaining 52 games (beginning on Nov. 24) will be exclusively available to Peacock Premium subscribers. Peacock Premium costs $4.99 a month or $49.99 per year, but the service is currently offering the opportunity to sign up for a full year for just $19.99.
The World Cup kicks off on Sunday, Nov. 20, as host-country Qatar faces Ecuador at 11 a.m. ET. The United States begins group play at 2 p.m. ET on Monday, Nov. 21 against Wales, while Mexico’s first match takes place at 11 a.m. ET on Tuesday, Nov. 22 against Poland. In other marquee group stage matches, the United States takes on England at 2 p.m. ET on Friday, Nov. 25, and Mexico faces Argentina on Saturday, Nov. 26 at 2 p.m. ET.
Peacock’s World Cup Hub will surround the FIFA World Cup 2022 with daily shows featuring highlights and analysis plus on-demand full-match replays. The World Cup Hub will also feature programming such as documentaries centered around soccer legends Lionel Messi and Diego Maradona, historic looks at previous World Cups, and more.
In addition to the World Cup Hub, Peacock will also host an exclusive, free Copa Mundial 24/7 Virtual Channel throughout the entire tournament, which will be the home to daily highlights, analysis, and debate shows about the tournament. The 24/7 channel will feature new talent presenting nine hours of original programming per day surrounding the live matches, including exclusive pre and post-match shows and extended highlights.
“The World Cup is the biggest sporting event for Latinos and a truly communal experience that transcends languages and culture. We look forward to showcasing the best-in-class sports on Peacock and super serve U.S. Hispanics with premium scripted and unscripted Tplus programming we’re rolling out around this unique event,” NBCU’s EVP and GM of Hispanic Streaming Romina Rosado said. “Both World Cup and Tplus programming connect with the growing, diverse U.S audiences who live their lives across languages and cultures.”
Telemundo Deportes’ match coverage will be anchored by soccer Hall of Famer, six-time Emmy award-winner and chief commentator Andres Cantor alongside Emmy-award-winning sports journalist Miguel Gurwitz, Telemundo’s Emmy-nominated sports and entertainment host Ana Jurka, Premier League host Carlota Vizmanos and Mexican soccer icon Carlos Hermosillo as the official hosts, leading the pre and post-game analysis from Telemundo’s presentation studio located at the center of the cultural Souq Waqif Marketplace.
In addition to the World Cup, Peacock’s expansive programming features live sports coverage including, “Sunday Night Football,” Premier League, Notre Dame Football, golf, horse racing, MLB Sunday Leadoff, INDYCAR, and much more.
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Peacock is a subscription video streaming service from NBCUniversal that includes original shows, blockbuster movies, and classic television series. Peacock is home to “Yellowstone,” and “The Office,” as well as original hits like “Poker Face” and “Bel-Air.” You can also watch live sports including NFL, MLB, WWE, Olympics, Premier League, NASCAR, French Open, College Football and Basketball, and PGA Tour. Premium Plus subscribers can stream their local NBC feed in all 210 markets.