Owen Wilson & Mystery Star to Promote Telemundo’s World Cup in Super Bowl Ad

Telemundo is making a substantial bet on the growing popularity of soccer in the United States, highlighted by a significant advertising campaign centered around the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The network, a division of NBCUniversal, has already sold 90% of its advertising inventory tied to the tournament, signaling strong advertiser confidence and a projected surge in revenue.

The network is leveraging a Super Bowl ad campaign to build anticipation. A 30-second teaser, featuring actor Owen Wilson, showcases his enthusiasm for soccer and his desire to learn Spanish in preparation for the World Cup, which will be hosted across the U.S., Mexico, and Canada. The full 60-second spot, slated to air immediately following Bad Bunny’s halftime performance, will reveal the celebrity assisting Wilson with his language studies.

This strategic placement after the highly anticipated halftime show is deliberate, according to Claudia Chagui, evp, marketing and creative at NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises. “We couldn’t ask for a better platform,” Chagui said. “We know that every Latino in the U.S. Is going to be tuning into this halftime show this year, and so what better opportunity and platform to put this in front of everyone?”

The campaign isn’t solely focused on reaching existing Spanish-speaking audiences. Telemundo aims to attract new viewers to its Spanish-language coverage, recognizing the broader appeal of the sport. The creative approach, developed with Telemundo’s in-house marketing team, agency Red Bee, and Caviar, is designed to resonate with both core and potential audiences. “We had a clear idea from the very beginning that it had to be a general market talent, and it had to be something related to the language. It had to be about inspiring or igniting that passion for watching the sport in Spanish,” Chagui explained.

The selection of Owen Wilson as the campaign’s face was a direct result of his publicly expressed admiration for soccer star Lionel Messi. Chagui noted Wilson’s story on Jimmy Kimmel Live about meeting Messi was a “no-brainer” for the campaign, demonstrating a genuine understanding of the sport’s cultural significance, particularly within the Latino community. “He gets the Leo fever and what Which means to Latinos in the community,” Chagui stated.

The financial implications of this advertising success are significant. Telemundo is seeing double the advertising spend compared to the sales process for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Major advertisers already committed include Anheuser-Busch, AT&T, Bank of America, The Coca-Cola Company, Diageo, McDonald’s, Toyota, Volkswagen of America, and Xfinity, a subsidiary of Comcast, NBCU’s corporate parent.

Beyond advertising, Telemundo is actively engaging with communities across the country through its “Tu Momento, Tu Jugada” (Your Moment, Your Play) campaign. Launched in December 2025, this initiative will visit major cities to promote the World Cup and encourage community participation. Events include soccer tryouts and educational programs for students, such as those held in Santa Clara and San Jose, California, in partnership with the San Jose Earthquakes.

Telemundo’s commitment extends to comprehensive coverage of the tournament. As the exclusive Spanish-language home of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the network will broadcast all 104 matches live from June 11 to July 19, 2026. This extensive coverage, combined with the marketing push, positions Telemundo to capitalize on the growing interest in soccer and the unique opportunity presented by the tournament’s North American location.

The success of the advertising sales and the launch of the community engagement campaign underscore Telemundo’s confidence in its ability to deliver a compelling World Cup experience. The network believes it can “share a fantastic soccer journey with everyone in the U.S., and we really believe that the place to watch it and to experience it in the best fashion is on Telemundo and Peacock.”