TUDN: TU Deportes Network

Review by eFreeware

Following soccer closely in Spanish can mean juggling several apps, a cable box and a handful of websites just to catch one match. TUDN, from TelevisaUnivision, tries to put that in one place: live games, scores, news and highlights en español, with Liga MX, European competitions and the Mexican and US national teams among the offerings.

You can watch live soccer from Univision, Unimás, TUDN and TUDNxtra, and the TUDN channel itself streams around the clock. The app is free to download, it shows ads, and there are no in-app purchases. The catch, and it is a significant one, is that the live match streams require a cable or TV provider login and are limited to viewers in the United States and Puerto Rico.

Who the app suits

This is built for a viewer who already pays for a TV package that carries TUDN and wants to watch the same channels on a phone or tablet. If your provider qualifies, logging in turns the app into a portable version of the match coverage you are already paying for. If you follow Liga MX, the Mexican national team or the big European club competitions and prefer commentary and analysis in Spanish, the lineup is squarely in that territory.

It is also a reasonable fit for someone who wants scores, news and video clips without sitting through a full broadcast. The app covers boxing, MLB, NFL, NBA, Formula 1 and tennis alongside soccer, so it can serve as a general Spanish-language sports feed rather than a soccer-only one.

It is less useful for a cord cutter with no TV subscription, since the live games depend on that provider login. Someone outside the US and Puerto Rico is in the same position, because the live access is limited to those territories.

Live soccer and the leagues it carries

The core of the app is live match coverage. Liga MX, Copa MX, the UEFA Champions League, Europa League, Nations League and Euro 2020 are all listed, along with MLS, the Bundesliga and the CONCACAF Champions League. FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 is included as well, which makes the app a place to find tournament soccer rather than only week-to-week league fixtures.

The club and national team coverage is broad. America, Chivas, Cruz Azul, Tigres, Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus are named, plus the Mexican national team, the USMNT, LA Galaxy, LAFC and Inter Miami. Individual players are highlighted too, including Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Chucky Lozano, André-Pierre Gignac and Rogelio Funes Mori.

Streams come from several channels in one app: Univision, Unimás, TUDN and TUDNxtra. The TUDN channel can also be watched live around the clock, which matters if you want more than only the games themselves.

News, scores and the countdown widget

For a Spanish-speaking sports fan, that combination covers a lot of the calendar.

The most recent addition is a Countdown Widget, which the developer describes as a way to keep track of upcoming matches, events, featured content and live experiences. A widget for upcoming matches is a small thing, but it fits how people actually follow a league: you want to know when the next game is without opening anything.

Highlights and news clips are the other half of this. Not every visit is about watching ninety minutes, and having highlights and news in the same app keeps it useful on days when there is no match you care about.

What it costs and what you need

The app itself is free, and the developer is explicit about that. That is a straightforward arrangement compared with apps that mix free content with paid upgrades.

The cost sits elsewhere: live match access requires logging in with your cable or TV service provider, and that access is limited to the United States and Puerto Rico. In practice, the live match access depends on a pay-TV subscription. If you do not have a qualifying provider, the live games are out of reach.

One more thing worth knowing: the app includes Nielsen measurement software, which the developer says contributes to market research such as TV ratings.

Alternatives worth weighing

If your main goal is live soccer from many leagues in one place, a dedicated streaming service built around subscriptions may cover more ground. The app concentrates on Spanish-language coverage across a wide range of leagues and competitions, which suits viewers who follow more than one.

For scores and news alone, general sports apps handle that well. Where TUDN stands apart is the combination: live matches from several channels, Spanish-language commentary and analysis, and news across soccer and other sports in one download.

The choice really comes down to whether you already have a TV provider that carries these channels. If you do, the app adds convenience at no extra cost.

A practical pick for pay-TV soccer fans

TUDN does one job well: it puts live Spanish-language soccer and sports coverage from TelevisaUnivision's channels onto a phone or tablet for viewers who already subscribe to a qualifying TV service. The league list is strong, the club and player coverage is broad, and the app is free with ads and no in-app purchases. With more than five million installs and a 4.2 average from over 103,000 ratings, it has found an audience.

The limits are equally clear. Live matches need a provider login, and that access is confined to the US and Puerto Rico. Ads are present, and Nielsen measurement software is included.

Without a qualifying provider, the live soccer is not available to you.

What's new in version 20.0.8

Stay up to date with upcoming matches, events, featured content, and live experiences using our new Countdown Widget.