Even though the FIFA World Cup 2026 is more than a year away, Telemundo is getting a head start with the debut of a new late-night talk sports show that has an emphasis on soccer.
On March 10, Telemundo premiered El Pelotazo, which airs live seven days a week and is hosted by Verónica Rodríguez, Pablo Mariño, and Diego Arrioja, offering sports news and analysis with special guests in an unconventional format to reach Hispanic sports fans.
Telemundo’s evp of sports, Joaquin Duro, noted that the show stands apart from other late-night talk sports shows because of its shorter, fast-paced segments and quick camera angles, contributing to its multiplatform approach.
This isn’t a traditional half-hour show, according to Duro. Instead, the series extends beyond linear TV, amplifying content, highlights, and select clips across social in real-time. The strategy integrates social media and encourages fan participation.
“The show is more dynamic starting with the talent,” Duro told ADWEEK. “The talent is fresh and bold. They have a big presence on social media. We do a deep dive very fast into the topics, and we move on within maybe a minute or two, which is not normal for a TV show.”
The show airs at midnight to attract new audiences who are typically up at that hour, but it’s also looking to become a program that everyone wants to talk about the following day.
“The idea of the show is to give us the possibility to become snackable content the next day—the next few days—and extend some of the segments,” Duro said.
In fact, the word “pelotazo” translates to “the powerful strike of a ball.” In the same vein, Telemundo expects the show to deliver high-energy sports coverage combined with insightful analysis and segments that fans can engage with in new, unexpected ways.
Some of the segments include “Minuto De Fama,” which shows celebrity guests sharing their passion for sports and discussing their favorite teams and moments. Meanwhile, “¡Se Busca!” looks at the lives of legendary sports figures, and “Mano a Mano” features exclusive, never-before-heard stories from athletes around the world.
Rodríguez, one of the hosts of El Pelotazo, said being involved with the show excited her because she’s never been a part of anything like this.
“We know how much Hispanic audiences are passionate for sports, so to be able to bring that community together—and the link be the sports—I love it,” Rodríguez said. “The show is every night, and it’s at midnight, so we know it’s an hour that you want to have fun and you want to get entertained.”
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Though the show will cover everything, including the NFL, NBA, and the 2026 Winter Olympics, the program plans to make soccer the forefront.
Duro said, depending on the day, 70% of the show’s daily coverage will be soccer, but once it gets closer to the World Cup tournaments, El Pelotazo will extend to one hour. When the World Cup is airing, the show will be 100% dedicated to soccer, and other sports will take a back seat.
The show was intentional with setting its premiere on March 10 since the day marks exactly 456 days until the World Cup, which begins on June 11, 2026.
“We have 456 days to build and lead into being the home of the World Cup,” Duro said. “It’s a huge part for us. We can’t just be here for the weekends anymore. We have to be here every day. We are the home of the World Cup.”
Rodríguez agreed, saying that the World Cup is a major part of the show.
“We have a lot to talk about,” Rodríguez said. “Even though it’s only 2025, everything is already preparing for the work of a key moment to engage with the Hispanic audience and tell them, ‘Hey, this is a house of FIFA World Cup 2026, and this is your house as well.’”
Duro noted that the new show brings ripe opportunities for advertisers. For instance, Telemundo plans on launching a FAST channel for the show later this year.
Brands also have the opportunity to sponsor one of the segments on the show. Xfinity is a brand that initially expanded its sponsorship from three days to the full seven days.
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Fox previously reported that Super Bowl 59 was its most-watched ever with 127.7 million viewers, which included Telemundo, and the network wants to continue building on that success and prove that for the sport of soccer as well.
Plus, Duro emphasized that the show is live, and that’s different from other shows they have done in the past.
“We are live every night, seven days a week, and that gives us the opportunity to not only connect live with the audience that is watching on linear, but to create additional conversations through the day and during the week on social platforms,” Duro said. “If I’m an advertiser, I’m thinking of Telemundo. That’s eight hours of programming, and now it’s live across the board with reality, entertainment, and sports.”
Saleah Blancaflor is a TV reporter at ADWEEK.
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