Telemundo Launches ‘The Playmakers’ – a National Platform Spotlighting Leaders and Ideas Shaping the Next Era of Sports
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Telemundo announces the launch of The Playmakers presented by Telemundo, a national platform designed to celebrate and spotlight the leaders and ideas shaping the next era of sport through a series of invitation-only curated conversations across America.
As the exclusive Spanish-language home of the FIFA World Cup 26, NFL’s Sunday Night Football, NBA, the Olympic Games, Premier League and other major sporting events, Telemundo sets the stage to celebrate Latino contributions to sports while bringing together diverse personalities from across leagues and industries, including athletes and owners, executives and investors, creators and community builders.
The Playmakers inaugural event, which will take place in Washington, D.C. on December 3rd ahead of the FIFA World Cup 26 Final Draw, will be emceed by iconic Telemundo sports broadcaster Andrés Cantor and kick-off with a fireside chat with U.S. Men’s National Team Head Coach Mauricio Pochettino, to discuss his resilience and innovation as a player and coach, and his deep commitment to developing people as much as players. Pochettino was appointed head coach of the USMNT in August of 2024 with two years to prepare the team ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup being hosted in the United States.
“Telemundo’s Playmakers leverages our leadership in the sports industry to advance conversations among visionaries shaping the future of sports in the U.S. and globally,” says Monica Gil, Chief Administrative and Marketing Officer at NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises. “Our platform promotes leadership, innovation, and a deeper understanding of how sports will influence not only the future of the game, but the future of business, society, and culture.”
A native of Argentina, Pochettino brings a wealth of managerial experience at the highest levels of club soccer, having coached Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea in the English Premier League as well as French Ligue 1 powerhouse Paris Saint-Germain while managing some of the top soccer players of our generation, including Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé, Neymar, Harry Kane, Heung-min Son, and others.
Alongside the fireside chat between Emmy-winning sports anchor Miguel Gurwitz and Pochettino, the inaugural Playmakers event will feature a pair of insightful panels that will explore governance, grassroots development, and what “legacy” should mean for the host cities leading up to and beyond the FIFA World Cup 26.
In “The New Era of Soccer in North America,” CONCACAF President Victor Montagliani and U.S. Soccer President Cindy Parlow Cone will reflect on how FIFA World Cup 2026 will redefine the sport in North American culture and business. This conversation moderated by McKinsey will explore how the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026 will leave a long-term legacy for fans, players & the Latino community.
Officials from the FIFA World Cup 2026 Host Committees will join a moderator from CNBC for a panel discussion entitled “Cities on the Global Stage.” These leaders will discuss how they are preparing to welcome the world through infrastructure, fan experiences, and legacy initiatives that extend well beyond the final whistle.
Additional curated events will take place in key U.S. cities in 2026, each aligned with major sports moments taking place throughout the year.
The Playmakers is a space where sport’s most influential voices—on and off the field—come together to explore leadership, innovation, and legacy. The curated program celebrates and spotlights today’s playmakers—the people whose perspectives change how fans watch, how brands invest, and how communities build and rally around sports—these are marquee athletes and owners, visionary operators, creators with cultural gravity, and leaders across brands, media, tech, and cities.
Each stop will feature a playmaker headlining programming that includes panels and fireside conversations centered on The Playmakers’ core programming pillars:
- Leadership & the Future of the Game: Federations, leagues, and clubs set the course for competition, fandom, and growth in the U.S.
- The Corporate Playbook – Media, Marketing & Monetization: Brands, media, and marketing choices that turn passion into measurable value.
- Technology & the Fan Experience: Platforms and products redefining live sports, discoverability, and multi-platform audiences.
- Athletes as Playmakers: Athletes as owners, investors, storytellers, and community catalysts beyond the pitch.
- Access & Pathways: The pipelines—from community fields to elite stages—that widen opportunity and strengthen the future of the game.
