Claro Colombia, a subsidiary of telecoms giant America Movil, has been announced as the official broadcaster for all Colombian national football teams. This development comes after an agreement with the Colombian Football Federation (FCF), replacing Movistar as the primary broadcaster.
The new deal covers all national football sides including men’s, women’s, youth and futsal teams. Rodrigo de Gusmao, president of Claro Colombia, emphasized the company's commitment to leveraging its technological infrastructure to provide Colombians with high-quality digital experiences for each match. This change in broadcasting rights follows Movistar's exit from its sponsorship deal with FCF after being acquired by Latin American telecoms firm Millicom. The sale marks Telefonica's broad withdrawal from Colombia and strengthens Millicom's presence in the country through merging the Movistar brand with its Tigo brand.
The announcement comes at a crucial time as the men’s team prepares to compete in the 2026 FIFA World Cup across US, Canada and Mexico – America Movil’s home market. Notably, Colombia finished third in South American qualifying section for this event outperforming traditional heavyweights like Brazil and securing automatic qualification.
Colombia will commence their World Cup campaign within Group K which currently includes Portugal and Uzbekistan. Broadcast rights are held by satellite network DirecTV that secured exclusive rights to all 104 matches via a sweeping deal covering Latin America. Free-to-air broadcasters Caracol and RCN will also air some matches alongside Win Sports - a pay-TV broadcaster that acquired a package of 25 matches last November.
Busy schedule ahead for Colombian teams
Alongside preparations for men’s World Cup competition is an equally busy schedule for other national teams under Claro Colombia's sponsorship umbrella participation in the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Poland, participation in the CONMEBOL U-17 Championships for both men and women and qualifying rounds for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
Ramón Jesurun, president of FCF, said:
“Claro is currently the telecommunications company with the widest coverage in the country, and we are honored to have them join our family of commercial partners as an official partner of the Colombian national teams, a group that includes some of Colombia's most prestigious brands.
“We are confident that this will be a long-term relationship that will generate significant benefits for Claro, the Federation, and, of course, all Colombians who support and feel for our national teams.”
Claro joins a roster of high-profile sponsors supporting FCF, including Aguila, Adidas, BetPlay, Inter Rapidisimo, Avianca, Bancolombia and Ara. This partnership is expected to enhance the visibility of Colombian football on a global scale while providing fans with an enriched viewing experience. Claro Colombia's new role as official broadcaster marks a significant shift in Colombian football broadcasting. With its commitment to technological excellence and broad coverage of all national teams' matches, it promises an exciting era for sports fans and sports betting enthusiasts alike.
