Featuring Music Icons David Bisbal, Ana Bárbara and Ximena Sariñana as Judges, 20 Talented Young Artists Are Ready to Compete for the Chance to Become the Next Latin Music Star
MIAMI, FL – July 6, 2026 — Twenty-five years after its historic debut in Spain, Operación Triunfo Estados Unidos begins a new chapter with its premiere on Telemundo on Tuesday, July 7 at 7pm/6c. The internationally acclaimed competition, which has launched some of the biggest names in the Spanish-language music industry, comes to the U.S. for the first time with a format that blends talent, artistic training, coexistence, and spectacular live galas. After an extensive nationwide audition process, a group of young hopefuls will compete for the chance to turn their dreams into reality.
These are seven key elements that make Operación Triunfo Estados Unidos one of the year’s most anticipated television debuts:
- Gala Cero: Hosted by Natalia Téllez, Gala Cero marks the official beginning of the competition and the contestants’ first major challenge. The 20 selected participants will perform live before the judges and the audience, taking their first step to fame. At the end of the gala, which contestants earn a place in the Academy (La Academia) will be determined.
- Contestants: Coming from different corners of the United States, Puerto Rico, and several Latin American countries, the 20 contestants arrive with unique stories, musical influences, and dreams. Fresh, creative, and full of talent, they represent a new generation of artists ready to discover their full potential and fight for the opportunity to become the next Latin star. Meet the 20 contestants here.
- Judges: With decades of experience on stage and careers that have left a mark on Latin music, David Bisbal, Ana Bárbara, and Ximena Sariñana make up the judging panel. More than judges, they will mentor and guide the contestants throughout their artistic transformation, sharing their expertise, high standards and industry insight to help discover the next great Latin music star. Ultimately, the audience will also play a key role in determining the winner.
- The Academy (La Academia): The Academy will be the heart of Operación Triunfo Estados Unidos, where dreams begin to become reality. The contestants will live together while receiving professional training in singing, acting, dance, and other artistic disciplines from expert instructors. More than just a school, the Academy will be a place of growth, challenges, and transformation, where they will refine their talent and discover who they are as artists. In addition, audiences will be able to follow every step of their journey with 24/7 live access through the official YouTube channel, @OperaciónTriunfoEstadosUnidos, witnessing rehearsals, classes, life inside the Academy, and everything that happens behind the scenes.
- Artistic Training: The contestants’ artistic development will be guided by renowned professionals in the music industry. The Academy will be led by award-winning singer-songwriter Erika Ender as its director, overseeing the contestants’ artistic development. Throughout their journey, they will receive specialized mentorship and essential training to strengthen their talent, confidence, and stage presence from an outstanding team of experts, including Laura Flores as acting instructor, and Jorge Romano and David Cabrera as musical directors, among others.
- Live Galas: The excitement of Operación Triunfo Estados Unidos comes to life throughout the week with a live programming schedule that lets audiences closely follow the contestants’ journey both inside and outside the Academy. From Tuesday through Friday, viewers will witness the contestants’ daily lives as they face their instructors’ evaluations, where every performance could earn them safety and a shot at immunity. Episodes will also feature rehearsals, classes, challenges, microphone run-throughs, guest artists, and the opening of audience voting. On Sundays, the competition continues with a live concert gala focused on individual performances, followed on Monday by a second live gala featuring group performances and the elimination. At the end of each gala, the judges determine which contestants are at risk of leaving the Academy, marking the start of a new week of competition.
- The Grand Finale: After weeks of effort, growth, and spectacular performances, only one contestant will rise to victory and become the next big star of Operación Triunfo Estados Unidos. Chosen by the judges with help from the audience vote, the winner will receive a $100,000 cash prize and the opportunity to officially enter the music industry with Universal Music Latino. As part of this transformative prize, the company will support the launch of their professional career and lead the release and distribution of the show’s official soundtrack, featuring the season’s most memorable performances. Additionally, thanks to the partnership between GTS and Telemundo, the winner will receive artistic development and international exposure opportunities to propel their musical career.
The audience can enjoy Operación Triunfo Estados Unidos live or through the Telemundo app, available on the Google Play Store and the Apple Store. Episodes will also be available the next day on Peacock. The excitement continues on the official YouTube channel, @OperaciónTriunfoEstadosUnidos, with 24/7 live access to the Academy, as well as Realities After Dark: Operación Triunfo EEUU Podcast, hosted by Eliane Gallero, where eliminated contestants will share their reactions and fans can relive the show’s most talked-about moments. Fans can also join the conversation on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and X through @OperacionTriunfoUSA and @TelemundoRealities, using #OperacionTriunfoUSA.
Operación Triunfo Estados Unidos is under the supervision of Adrián Santucho, Senior Vice President of Non-Scripted Content, alongside executive producers Luciano Cardinali and Fernando Lorente.
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 96% of U.S. Hispanic TV households in 210 markets through 30 owned stations and 94 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
