Telemundo will deliver more than 700 hours of FIFA World Cup programming from June 11 to July 19, the most ever for a Spanish language presentation in the United States. That schedule includes all 104 matches live, with 92 airing on Telemundo and 12 on Universo.
Being Known as the Voice of Soccer
When asked how flattering it is to be known as the voice of soccer, Cantor said the recognition hits home because fans increasingly tell him he has been the soundtrack of their lives when it comes to the sport.
It's extremely flattering because more and more, I get people saying to me that I've been the soundtrack of their lives when it comes to soccer, obviously. That they've listened to my calls throughout the years. I've been working on television now almost for 40 years calling games. I would say at the beginning of my career was an average of 200 games per year, now it's probably a little bit less. To get stopped and be recognized by my voice and not by my likeness or face, and for people to turn around in an airport line or a supermarket line and say, "Man, you've been the soundtrack of my life, I've listened and watched you for so many years," is extremely flattering, and I take that to heart, and obviously it's super-nice when that happens. For anybody that just taps me on the shoulder and says, "Hey, I heard you, aren't you Andres Cantor?" That's super, super, super nice.
The Signature GOOOAL Call
Cantor was asked whether 43 seconds marks his longest GOOOOOOOOAL call. He laughed and said an NBC upfronts executive told him they have an average short time of 23 seconds and a long average he believes of 43.
Honestly, I have no idea, and I never have any intention of making it even shorter or longer. The way it comes out, it comes out naturally, organically if you will. It depends on the play, it depends on whether my setup to the goal is easier than not, because sometimes you have a scramble in the box with 20 players and the ball bounces around and then it goes in, whereas on a counter attack where it's three against one, it's easier to predict that the goal is coming so my setup will be different. And then, the importance of the goal, the moment of the goal, a goal in the middle of the first half is not the same as the winning goal in the 90th minute, and I guess the most important thing is how much air I have in my lungs. That is what will dictate how short or long I go at least on the first goal, because if it's short because I don't have any air, probably GOOOAL and then GOOOAL again, and if the goal is very, very important, I'll yell GOOOAL three times.
Asked whether he could reach 44 seconds, Cantor kept it open ended and tied the possibility to the biggest stage.
I have no idea. Hopefully the World Cup final with Messi scoring the winning goal, maybe I'll give it a go.
On criticism that the extended call is a gimmick, Cantor pushed back and framed it as part of a broader Latin American broadcasting tradition.
People that don't watch soccer on a regular basis, yeah, perhaps think it's a gimmick. It is the way I've been calling goals and every Latin American announcer has been calling goals in their countries and here. I always say I didn't invent anything, I just helped also popularize the way that we call the goal calls in Latin America. So it's definitely not a gimmick
Teams to Beat at the 2026 World Cup
Cantor was also asked who the teams to beat are at this tournament. He pointed to France as a side he expects to reach its third consecutive final, and said he fancies Argentina's chances again to make it to the last week.
I think the teams to beat are France, which I think they will reach their third consecutive final. Argentina, I fancy their chances again to make it to the last week. Predicting soccer is so hard. I will narrow my final week for these four teams: France, Argentina, Spain and England. I think they will be around in Dallas and Atlanta for the semis, and then anything can happen.
Cantor's eighth World Cup call sits at the center of Telemundo's largest Spanish language World Cup presentation in U.S. history, with more than 700 hours of coverage running through July 19 and every match available live across Telemundo and Universo.
