Nielsen Offers World Cup Warm-Up: Hispanic Fans Tune In, Brands Should Too.

Ahead of the 2026 World Cup, there is good reason to believe that U.S. Hispanic audiences will be primed for content related to the tournament. That is especially true in a market like Miami. Likely thanks to the signing of soccer star Lionel Messi to Inter Miami two years ago, adults in the market are 53% more likely than the population overall to say they listened to soccer on the radio or consumed a game on other media in the past 12 months. That compares to New York, where Latinos are 5% more likely to be searching out soccer games on the radio and other media outlets.

The findings are part of a new report from Nielsen on the U.S. Hispanic audience, which it calls a “key force” in 2025 with $4.1 trillion in purchasing power. With the World Cup quickly approaching, the report says Hispanics are driving enthusiasm. Four in ten self-identify as World Cup fans before the buzz begins in earnest, reflecting what Nielsen says is the deep cultural connection and widespread enthusiasm for the sport. The study says the passion level is even more intense among first- and second-generation Latinos, where 46% identify as World Cup fans.

Those numbers may climb higher in the months to come. While the tournament will be hosted across North America, the final games will be played in New York and Miami, two of the top 20 markets where Hispanics live in the U.S. The final will be hosted at MetLife Stadium in the New York metro, and Miami Stadium will host seven matches during the tournament, including the bronze final.

Nielsen’s just-released 2025 Diverse Intelligence Series: Hispanic Media Report shows that with the median age of just 31 and the most common age of 17, Hispanic audiences are younger and have an evolving media diet spanning a wide array of platforms. Yet their time with media across most devices trails that of the total population in the U.S. The exception for media engagement is among Hispanic Gen Xers and Boomers, who are spending more time with video and social apps on their smartphones than the population overall.

“Streaming now commands the lion's share of Hispanic audiences’ attention, content on YouTube in particular,” the report says. “At the same time, linear television still commands significant viewership, especially among Spanish-language dominant Hispanics.”

To cope with TV reach challenges, Nielsen says ad buyers should embrace radio and other audio formats as a way to reach Hispanics in a low-clutter, high-trust environment. In the first quarter of 2025, radio reached 93% of Hispanics monthly. That puts broadcast radio in a uniquely powerful position, particularly when paired with culturally relevant messaging. Radio and podcasts together account for 79% of all daily audio time with ad-supported platforms.

“Consider adding audio to your media mix,” the report says. “Podcast ads, in particular, drive strong brand recall, motivating listeners to take action. Hispanic podcast listeners are 62% more likely to call a number from a podcast ad than the general population.”

To determine which podcasts may connect with Latinos, producers may want to consider what is popular with these audiences on television. Nielsen says Hispanic viewers are driven more by storytelling, shared experiences, and variety shows on TV. General drama makes up the largest share of Hispanics' time with broadcast TV programming, and 18% of all Hispanic’s time spent with broadcast is spent with sports content. News consumption is also significantly lower among Hispanic households.

Nielsen cautions that advertising investment has not always kept pace with Hispanic audiences’ engagement and there is a “clear disparity” that extends even to online ad spending. For example, online retailers devoted less than one percent (0.92%) of their digital spend to Spanish-language sites in early 2025, according to Nielsen Ad Intel. That translated to about $3.38 million on Spanish-language websites compared to $363.42 million on English-language websites. Diving deeper, Nielsen says nearly 96% of that relatively small Spanish-language digital spend by online retailers in the first quarter was directed toward just one site – YouTube.

Stacie de Armas, Senior VP of Inclusive Insights at Nielsen, writes in the report that it is a pivotal time for marketers.

“In today's social and economic climate, Hispanic audiences are increasingly evaluating who to trust. They’re seeking authentic engagement from brands, platforms and creators that genuinely respect their influence and reflect their values, both online and in real life,” she says. “This makes it imperative to go beyond understanding traditional consumption metrics; it means recognizing their impact as economic powerhouses, trendsetters and creators who build communities, drive commerce and seek genuine partnership.”

Download the full report HERE.