MIAMI, FL – September 3, 2025 – As the countdown to the FIFA World Cup 26™ hits the nine-month mark, Telemundo, the exclusive Spanish-language home of the tournament, kicks off the celebration with a special edition of Top Chef VIP airing this Sunday, September 7 at 7pm/6c. In this special episode, contestants of the cooking competition will draw inspiration from the world’s most anticipated sporting event as they take on stadium-style food challenges, adding their own creative twist to impress the judges as they move one step closer to claiming the coveted Top Chef VIP title and the $200,000 cash prize.
Special guests will join the celebration, including former soccer star Carlos Bocanegra, Exatlón Estados Unidos alumni Anisa Guajardo and Masa Rodríguez, and the sports competition’s host Frederik Oldenburg.
This special edition of Top Chef VIP is part of Telemundo’s lead-up to delivering the most ambitious and authentic coverage of the FIFA World Cup 26™ across Telemundo, Universo, and Peacock, in the United States — ahead of the historic event taking place from June 11 to July 19, 2026.
Hosted by Carmen Villalobos, together with the demanding judges Chef Antonio “Toño” de Livier, Chef Tita, and Chef Betty Vázquez, the remaining contestants are: Angélica Celaya, Curvy Zelma, Lorena Herrera, Matías Ochoa, Paco Pizaña, Cristina Porta, Juan Soler y Salvador Zerboni.
Audiences can watch Top Chef VIP on Telemundo, or catch up on the Telemundo app (available on Google Play Store and Apple Store) and Telemundo.com. New episodes will also be available to stream the next day on Peacock.
Viewers can explore additional exclusive content by visiting Telemundo.com/TopChefVIP and following @TelemundoEntretenimiento on YouTube. Fans can join the conversation using the hashtag #TopChefVIP4 on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and X, and by following @TelemundoRealities.
Top Chef VIP is a RCN production for Telemundo based on NBCUniversal Formats’ Top Chef franchise, under the executive production of Francisco “Cisco” Suarez, Executive Vice President of Programming for Realities and Primetime Specials of Telemundo, along with Luciano Cardinali and Fernando Lorente as executive producers.
About NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises:
NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises leads the media industry in the production and distribution of Spanish-language content for U.S. Hispanics and audiences around the world. The company serves U.S. Hispanics through its national broadcast network, the cable network Universo, and digital platforms including the Telemundo app, a suite of FAST channels, and streaming services, such as Peacock, among others. The Telemundo Network offers Spanish-language entertainment, news, and sports content reaching 95% of U.S. Hispanic TV households in 210 markets through 30 owned stations and 91 affiliate stations. Telemundo also owns an independent station serving Puerto Rico. Anchored on Telemundo Studios, the network is the #1 producer of scripted Spanish-language content in the U.S., and the only network to produce original content specifically for US Hispanic audiences. Offering over 600 hours of reality TV shows a year, and top-rated live specials such as the Billboard Latin Music Awards and Miss Universe, Telemundo is considered the undisputed Home of Live TV in Hispanic media. The network is also the exclusive Spanish-language home of the world’s two most popular sporting events, the FIFA World Cup and the Olympic Games. NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises is a division of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation.
Press contact:
Gerardo Oyola
Director, Alternative Programming Publicity
gerardo.oyola@nbcuni.com
