456 days until the World Cup
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.’”
Opportunities for brands
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.
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.
