Cross-Current: Streaming and Spanish-Language Media Surge

📈 Trend

The World Cup is reshaping sports media consumption, with streaming and Spanish-language content driving mainstream trends.

❓ Signposts

Spanish-language platforms are becoming bellwethers for next-generation sports media consumption; ignoring this audience means missing early signals of broader market shifts.

For example, Telemundo’s 2022 coverage averaged 2.58M viewers per game, up 14% from 2018. And the 2022 Argentina–France final achieved a total Spanish-language audience of 9M across broadcast + streaming, a 65% increase from 2018. Today, Hispanic audiences are driving more viewers to streaming platforms, as the population makes up nearly 50% of all streaming viewership.

♟️Strategic Implication

• Every brand interested in growing or starting a relationship with Latino constituents, whether B2B or B2C, should be building a platform to capture surge around World Cup 2026.

• Design cross-platform campaigns that flex across linear assets, streaming behavior, and social engagement.

• Plan for dynamic audience engagement: consider weekend watch patterns, dual-country fandom, and digital activation around marquee matches.

Sources

1. NBC Sports

2. Nielsen