Julio Sonino of Telemundo on the 2026 World Cup: “On TV, We’re Going To Have An Event That Will Mark A Milestone”

For Julio Sonino, VP, Content Production, Sports at Telemundo, the upcoming 2026 World Cup “will be the ultimate World Cup, the biggest of all.” Although Canada is also a host, Mexico is home to “many of our viewers,” and the U.S. is “our home. We are here, and when you do something at home, you have to do it very well—it has to be outstanding.”

Sonino noted that this will be “a very large production, because the World Cup is very large: 104 matches, three countries, 16 stadiums, 48 teams for the first time in history.”

Reflecting on how the Telemundo team feels about covering another World Cup, Sonino said: “Everything starts with a production design, and we’ve been able to execute that design in practice, from both a financial and company scope standpoint. Everything we proposed, we’re carrying out in the best possible way. We’re right on schedule, locking in talent. What we can see on the horizon today is that we’re going to have a fantastic TV event. The sporting event itself will be fantastic, but on television, we’re going to have an event that will mark a milestone and remain in this country’s TV history.”

PRODUCTION TEAM

“We put together a production team that began working in January 2025. I feel that was the kick-off—the first meeting we had with FIFA in Zurich—although the company has been working on this since the last World Cup. We wanted to be at every match, all 104 games, on the pitch, on the field of play—and we’re going to do it. We’ll be at all 104 matches on the field. Because of this, we’re assembling a very large production team—more than 200 people; a very large operations and technology team—more than 200 people; and a large talent team. Not just large in number, but in quality,” he said.

The executive added that the talent lineup will include the GOATs (Greatest of All Time). “We’ll have Andrés Cantor and Luis Omar Tapia leading our play-by-play coverage. I think it’s something historic and unique, and the audience will recognize it as something very significant that we’re offering. Also Carlota Vizmanos and Miguel Gurwitz, who are the traditional hosts of our sports programming,” he said.

He mentioned that the team of former footballers and expert analysts will include about 25 talents. “The concept is that we’re bringing in idols from each of our countries: Uruguay, Argentina, Paraguay, Colombia, Panama, Brazil, Honduras, Mexico, as well as the U.S. There will be former U.S. players who connect with the Hispanic audience through their origins, upbringing, having played in Spain, and who also have strong affinity with Hispanic viewers,” he said.

He also revealed that two football legends—Maxi Rodríguez of Argentina and Diego Lugano of Uruguay—will present matches and be in contact with players from their respective national teams.

COMMITMENT TO SUSTAINABILITY

Sonino highlighted that one of the company’s commitments for this World Cup coverage is to make it a sustainable production.

“It’s a very large World Cup, with a very large footprint. So we’re also relying on local reporters and our local stations. As you know, Telemundo has more than 70 owned stations across the country, and they will be supporting us. The commitment is to reduce the footprint so that it’s an environmentally responsible production and operation. We’ve kept that in mind from day one,” he said.

He clarified: “There are 16 cities, and we have 16 reporters and 16 production and camera crews in those cities who will not move. In other words, we’re not sending someone from Seattle to New York and someone from New York to Los Angeles. They stay there—so no flights.”

Below are some examples of sustainable practices Telemundo is implementing for its FIFA World Cup 2026 coverage:

-Local talent and resources: Telemundo is prioritizing hiring local talent and production crews in host cities, reducing travel-related emissions compared to previous tournaments, while supporting local economies and creative communities.

-Virtual production innovation: Telemundo Center’s state-of-the-art virtual studio significantly reduces the need for traditional physical sets—eliminating the use and disposal of large quantities of construction materials—while delivering an immersive Paris-inspired experience without the high costs of building a studio abroad or sending teams and talent overseas. The virtual environment operates with 100% LED lighting, contributing to lower overall energy consumption and avoiding weather-related production impacts.

-Reduced on-site footprint: For the FIFA World Cup, Telemundo will operate with a smaller presence at the International Broadcast Center (IBC) compared to previous tournaments, leveraging its headquarters at Telemundo Center in Miami as a central production hub to reduce on-site infrastructure, travel, and logistics.

-Coast-to-coast infrastructure: By utilizing Telemundo’s existing facilities across the United States, the network minimizes the need for temporary, single-use infrastructure, reducing material usage and maximizing operational efficiency.

-Responsible material reuse: Any physical materials acquired for Telemundo’s presence at the IBC in Dallas will be donated locally after the tournament, supporting community organizations and reducing waste.

IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCE

Regarding technology, without going into too much detail, Sonino said the advancements of the past four years compared to the 2022 World Cup will be noticeable in the studio, programming, and graphics.

“Our virtual sets will visually transport viewers to different locations, with some striking staging elements in our studio. FIFA is also giving us much better options—for example, player footage and daily behind-the-scenes access to everything happening with the teams. Anyone watching Telemundo during the World Cup will receive an immersive experience,” he said.