World Cup Coverage Returns
Fubo Restores NBCUniversal Channels Following Blackout, Securing World Cup Coverage Ahead of Tournament
Key Points
Fubo said Telemundo access requires only an English-language TV plan, while Universo requires a “Latino Plan or English-language Extra package.”
The return of NBCUniversal channels also expands across specific Fubo tiers: the base English-language package includes NBC, Telemundo, Bravo, and NBC Sports Network (NBCSN) plus NBC Sports regional networks for the Bay Area, Boston, California and Philadelphia; NBC and NBCSN are also available through Fubo’s “Fubo Sports” content service.
Fubo’s prior complaints about NBCUniversal included accusations that it let YouTube TV and Amazon’s Prime Video integrate Peacock directly into their channel stores, while not giving Fubo the same rights—among other packaging-related disputes.
NBCUniversal’s Telemundo is the domestic Spanish-language rights holder for World Cup coverage (with FOX holding U.S. English-language rights), and the deal was announced just ahead of the tournament’s start—allowing Fubo customers to watch the opening match as the host “El Tri” plays South Africa in Mexico City.
FuboTV and NBCUniversal struck a new distribution deal on June 10, ending a seven-month blackout that began in November 2025. Telemundo and Universo returned to Fubo immediately, just in time for the 2026 FIFA World Cup opening match — Mexico vs. South Africa in Mexico City The Desk.
The agreement also restores NBC, Bravo, the new NBC Sports Network (NBCSN), and four regional sports networks across Fubo's subscription tiers, according to PPC Land. Fubo shares rose roughly 5% on the day of the announcement, reaching about $10.01 per share Investing.com.
Seven Months of Blackout Cost Fubo 200,000 Subscribers
The carriage agreement between Fubo and NBCU expired on November 21, 2025. From that moment, Fubo's roughly 5.7 million subscribers lost access to NBC local affiliates, Bravo, USA Network, Telemundo, and more The Desk. The blackout stretched through the NFL playoffs, the Super Bowl LX, and the Winter Olympics — some of the most-watched events of the year.
By May 2026, Fubo reported losing approximately 200,000 subscribers during the dispute, which analysts tied directly to the missing sports programming The Desk. CFO John Janedis called the subscriber impact "modest," though the company had issued a $15 one-time credit to affected users during the blackout. Fubo's total subscriber count stood at 5.7 million as of that report.
Fubo Accused NBCUniversal of Favoring YouTube TV and Amazon
At the heart of the dispute were three major complaints. First, Fubo CEO David Gandler accused NBCU of "discriminatory tactics" — specifically, allowing YouTube TV and Amazon Prime Video to integrate Peacock directly into their channel stores, while denying Fubo the same rights Sports Business Journal.
Second, Fubo claimed NBCU blocked its low-cost sports-only "Fubo Sports" tier by insisting Fubo bundle expensive non-sports channels like Bravo alongside it. Third, when NBCU spun off several cable networks — including CNBC and USA — into a new company called Versant on January 1, 2026, it pushed Fubo to sign a long-term contract for those channels. Fubo only wanted a one-year deal, arguing the channels were losing value Rolling Out.
World Cup Deadline Forced Both Sides to the Table
Telemundo holds the exclusive U.S. Spanish-language broadcast rights for all 104 matches of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Without a deal, Fubo would have been the only major live-TV streaming service where Spanish-speaking viewers could not watch the tournament in their language RBRTV. Gandler later said NBCU had effectively stopped engaging in negotiations earlier in the year, focusing on existing arrangements with Hulu + Live TV.
The timing of the June 10 announcement — one day before Mexico's opening match against South Africa — left little doubt about the urgency. "Our agreement with NBCUniversal underscores Fubo's promise to bring consumers more programming, value and choice," said Todd Mathers, Fubo's EVP of Content Strategy and Acquisition, in the official statement PPC Land.
What Fubo Subscribers Get — and On Which Plan
The deal is structured by tier rather than as a single package. Telemundo is available on any English-language plan. Universo requires a Latino Plan or English-language Extra package. NBC, NBCSN, Bravo, and four NBC Sports regional networks — covering the Bay Area, Boston, California, and Philadelphia — are included in the base English-language TV package The Desk.
NBC and NBCSN are also available through Fubo's "Fubo Sports" content service. New FAST channels — free, ad-supported streaming channels — are set to roll out over the coming weeks. Financial terms were not disclosed. Analysts expect Fubo to raise prices on its Pro and Elite plans to help absorb the cost of the new agreement Rolling Out.
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