Kate del Castillo’s Teresa Mendoza is coming back to Telemundo in the 2026-27 season to deliver a fourth installment of “La Reina del Sur.” Another drama franchise, “El Señor de los Cielos,” is back for Season 10 as Telemundo stocks its lineup to capitalize on what it hopes will be a blockbuster summer with the quadrennial World Cup soccer tournament unfolding across America.
Telemundo, NBCUniversal’s flagship Spanish-language network serving U.S. viewers, is set to deliver more than 700 hours of original live World Cup programming during the June 11-July 19 span of the competition. It’s no surprise that with the World Cup showcase coming, Telemundo would load up with its biggest scripted franchises in the coming year, as well as unscripted heavyweights such as “Top Chef VIP” series, reality favorite “La Casa de los Famosos” and athletic competition “Exatlón Estados Unidos.”
Telemundo will present its final push for its World Cup coverage to advertisers and its 2026-27 season programming lineup to advertisers on May 11 as part of NBCUniversal’s annual upfront programming presentation at Radio City Music Hall. NBCUniversal and Fox Corp. deliver presentations on Monday that kick off a week of major platform content showcase events designed to woo Madison Avenue and drive advance advertising commitments for the coming TV season.
“La Reina” star del Castillo tells Variety that she has relished playing the widow-turned-cartel boss Teresa Mendoza for 16 years and counting. Season 1 was a smash hit in 2011; nearly 10 years elapsed before Season 2 arrived in 2019.
“I’ve been growing up with Teresa, hand-to-hand. I’ve learned so much from her,” del Castillo says in an interview featured on today’s “Daily Variety” podcast. “When you’re an actress, you give a lot of yourself to the character. And I think we have both given a lot to each other. She’s very much like me. I’m very much like her. And I have a lot of fun. And every time that a new season comes, I just have a blast. And I definitely end up very, very tired after doing so many stunts and so much action.”
In addition to new seasons of two of the network’s most popular series ever — “La Reina” and “El Señor,” Telemundo is investing in new scripted dramas including:
“Unidad de Vida”: “After her mother’s death, Gabriela Serrano, a brilliant medical resident, returns to Florida to confront her estranged father and a powerful hospital system facing corruption and crisis.”
“Hot Sur” (working title): “The American dream turns into a nightmare for María Paz, an immigrant who believes she has found stability—until she is wrongfully accused of a crime that upends her life.”
“Uno Contra Todos”: “Eduardo ‘Lalo’ Gutiérrez, an honorable public defender, is wrongfully imprisoned and thrust into a maximum-security prison where he is mistakenly believed to be a powerful drug lord.”
“We are entering one of the most important moments in our company’s history, anchored by the FIFA World Cup and a content portfolio that reflects the full scale and influence of the Latino audience,” said Luis Fernández, chairman of NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises. “We are not just delivering content and capturing viewers—we are building fandoms, creating cultural moments and connecting audiences across every platform. From live sports and breaking news to premium entertainment and new storytelling formats, our strategy is focused on driving growth, deepening engagement and delivering unmatched value for our audiences and partners.”
NBCUniversal is counting on Telemundo’s Spanish-language coverage of World Cup to help continue its momentum on global sporting events, following successful Olympics coverage from Paris in 2024 and from Milan-Cortina earlier this year. On Wednesday, Telemundo unveiled a new pact with U.S. Soccer Federation to extend the network’s Spanish-language media rights deal to key U.S. National Team matches through 2030. Telemundo snared those rights away from Univision in 2023.
“For over two decades, Telemundo has been a true competitive advantage for NBCUniversal, reaching one of the fastest-growing audiences in America and shaping culture in real time,” said Mark Marshall, chairman of Global Advertising and Partnerships for NBCUniversal. “This upfront, that advantage is defined by the breadth of its slate and the power of live. From breaking news and tentpole sports, like the 2026 FIFA World Cup, to high-impact entertainment and fan-favorite franchises, Telemundo delivers culturally resonant moments at scale, creating meaningful opportunities for brands to connect with audiences in ways that drive engagement and impactful results.”
(Pictured: Kate del Castillo in Season 3 of “La Reina”)
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