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Luis Fernández of Telemundo: “Optimism, Co-Productions, and the World Cup as Key Pillars for 2026”
20 de febrero de 2026
Luis Fernández of Telemundo and Leila Cobo of Billboard
Luis Fernández, President of Telemundo, shared his strategic vision for the future of the industry in a conversation with Leila Cobo, Chief Content Officer of Billboard, during NATPE 2026, highlighting an approach focused on flexibility and creativity looking ahead to 2026.
Fernández expressed optimism, grounding his outlook in the steady growth of content consumption across all platforms: linear television, streaming, and digital.
This optimism is supported by strong recent performance. The executive noted that 2025 has been a very positive year for the company, with solid results both financially and in audience ratings.
THE IMPORTANCE OF THE WORLD CUP
The central focus for 2026 will be the FIFA World Cup, which Fernández described as the most important event on the planet. He predicted that this edition will be the most significant in history due to the participation of more teams and its simultaneous hosting across three countries: Mexico, the United States, and Canada.
Telemundo’s strategy goes beyond sports, integrating the event across the entire network and creating content that will live on multiple platforms. As an example of this integration, Fernández mentioned that Rafael Amaya, star of El Señor De Los Cielos, is currently working on a documentary about the World Cup. The event will also serve as a vehicle to relaunch Telemundo Sports Now.
NEW ENTERTAINMENT BETS
On the entertainment front, major announcements were made, including the production— for the first time—of the Spanish-language version of the successful Spanish format Operación Triunfo, as well as the return of the Sin Senos Sí Hay Paraíso franchise.
Fernández underscored the strengthening of Telemundo Studios’ operations, expanding its presence into other countries under a teamwork and co-production model, highlighting partnerships in Colombia with Netflix, Disney, Amazon, and ViX.
Among the outcomes of these collaborations, he cited the continuation of La Reina del Sur with Netflix, the upcoming premiere of the second season of En El Barro, and the collaboration with Disney for the return of Sin Senos Sí Hay Paraíso.
The Telemundo president emphasized the importance of maintaining strong relationships across the industry as a way to find formats that bring them closer to audiences.
Credibility and news remain pillars for the network, with newscasts achieving strong ratings. On the digital side, Fernández highlighted performance on TikTok, where the network recorded impressive numbers, surpassing 14 million followers in January.
In closing, Fernández reiterated that the key to success lies in “working, working, and working,” along with making strategic investments, citing as an example the launch of two new FAST channels dedicated to news and sports.
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