Operación Triunfo Estados Unidos, El Señor de los Cielos Season 10, and El Turco Premieres Ranked as the #1 Spanish-Language Shows in their Respective Timeslots Among Adults 18-49
MIAMI – July 9, 2026 – Telemundo’s highly-anticipated triple premiere night, featuring Operación Triunfo Estados Unidos, El Señor de los Cielos season 10, and El Turco, positioned the Network as the #1 Spanish-language network in Tuesday primetime, averaging 579,000 adults 18-49 and 1.46 million total viewers, according to Nielsen. Each show ranked as the #1 Spanish-language program in its respective timeslot among adults 18-49, driving the Network’s primetime success.
The U.S. debut of the hit music competition Operación Triunfo Estados Unidos delivered 675,000 adults 18-49 and 1.6 million total viewers, becoming Telemundo’s best ever weekday reality premiere among total viewers, while ranking as the #1 Spanish-language program in its 7 p.m. timeslot. In addition, the premiere ranked as the #1 reality show in prime, regardless of language, among adults 18-49. Hosted by Natalia Téllez and featuring music stars David Bisbal, Ana Bárbara, and Ximena Sariñana as judges, Operación Triunfo Estados Unidos follows 16 aspiring artists competing for a $100,000 cash prize and a recording contract with Universal Music Latino.
The premiere of the tenth and final season of El Señor de los Cielos, Telemundo’s longest-running scripted series, marked the franchise’s highest-rated premiere since Season 8 in 2023, averaging 596,000 adults 18-49 and 1.5 million total viewers, and ranking as the #1 Spanish-language program in its 9 p.m. timeslot. The series also ranked as the #1 drama in prime, regardless of language, among adults 18-49. In this tenth season, Aurelio Casillas, portrayed by renown actor Rafael Amaya, returns to reclaim his empire, setting the stage for a high-stakes battle for power, loyalty, and survival.
Meanwhile, the internationally acclaimed Turkish series El Turco delivered 369,000 adults 18-49, ranking as the #1 Spanish-language program in its 10 p.m. timeslot, becoming Telemundo’s highest-rated Turkish series premiere since Season 2 of Hercai in 2021 in the demo. In addition, the program ranked as the #2 drama in prime, regardless of language, among adults 18-49. The five-episode premium event series El Turco follows warrior Hasan Balaban as he seeks refuge in a small village, where he must confront his greatest enemy while fighting for justice and falling in love.
Source: Nielsen Big Data + Panel, L+SD, 7/7/26.
More about:
Operación Triunfo Estados Unidos: Twenty-five years after its historic debut in Spain, Operación Triunfo Estados Unidos premiered on Telemundo, hosted by Natalia Téllez and featuring music stars David Bisbal, Ana Bárbara, and Ximena Sariñana as judges. The music competition follows 16 contestants living together 24/7 in La Academia as they compete in live galas airing Monday through Friday and Sundays at 7pm/6c for a $100,000 cash prize and a recording contract with Universal Music Latino. Fans can also follow their journey with 24/7 live access on the YouTube channel @OperacionTriunfoEstadosUnidos.
El Señor de los Cielos: In the highly anticipated tenth and final season of El Señor de los Cielos, Aurelio Casillas (Amaya) returns more powerful, ambitious, and relentless than ever, determined to reclaim control of his empire and cement his legacy. After disappearing from his family’s radar, he resurfaces to reassert his dominance, waging war against old and new enemies while pushing the limits of power, loyalty, and survival. With the DEA closing in, loyalties tested, and his thirst for control growing stronger, Aurelio finds himself crossing a line that could cost him everything.
El Turco: the internationally acclaimed Turkish five-episode premium event series, blends action, romance, and historical drama in an epic story of loyalty, sacrifice, family, and the fight for justice. The series follows Hasan Balaban, a betrayed warrior who finds refuge in a small village, where he becomes a symbol of hope for people living under the rule of a ruthless king. As Balaban falls in love with the courageous Gloria, he is drawn into an inevitable confrontation with his greatest enemy, Marco, the powerful commander who is also his estranged brother. Filled with betrayal, fragile alliances, and high-stakes battles, El Turco delivers a sweeping tale of honor, redemption, and the enduring power of love in the face of impossible odds.
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.
Media Contact:
Adriana Nuñez-Cox
Director, Programming Publicity
