One of the most iconic voices in world soccer, Andrés Cantor, will join Netflix for its coverage of the FIFA Women’s World Cup.
While the move was expected, Netflix made the announcement official Friday morning. It will be one of the biggest world sporting events to come to the streamer since their push for more live sports has come to life in the last few years. It will also give the streamer a new opportunity to go beyond the one-off coverage we have seen with its broadcasts of NFL and MLB games and other special events.
Netflix has broadcast rights for English and Spanish in the United States as well as English and French in Canada. It is not specified whether Cantor will provide English or Spanish commentary for the telecasts, as he has experience doing both. However, the press release particularly praises his Spanish-language calls.
“One of the most recognizable voices in soccer broadcasting, Cantor’s internationally known Spanish-language play-by-play, commentary, and celebrations transcend languages, cultures, and team allegiances. For Cantor, calling a match in Spanish is about more than translating what is happening on the pitch,” the release states.
Andrés Cantor is a legendary figure in the broadcast world, and his calls this summer on Telemundo even drew English speakers to watch the Spanish-language broadcasts because they were so exciting and entertaining. The 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil will be his fifth edition of the tournament, and he has also called every men’s version since 1986.
The rights for the 2030 Men’s World Cup are currently up for bid, and Cantor has already said he wants to work on that tournament as well, whether he broadcasts in English or Spanish. Regardless of the language or platform, fans always get a treat from his broadcasts, and Netflix has gotten quite the coup in boosting its big international soccer debut.
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