The fifth edition of GECA’s Free Streaming in Spain Report – FAST Barometer, August 2026 reveals significant changes in viewing habits, advertising tolerance and content demand across the country’s free streaming platforms. Coinciding with the World Cup, RTVE Play records the strongest growth among the platforms, gaining 5.0 percentage points to strengthen its second position, with 56.6% of respondents saying they have used the service over the past three months. Pluto TV, up 0.5 points, overtakes Atresplayer, which falls 2.6 points, to reclaim third place.
The report also points to greater tolerance of advertising among free streaming users. The proportion of viewers who continue watching content without switching channels when ads appear has risen by five percentage points to 32.0%. At the same time, the percentage of users who keep the content playing in the background while paying less attention has dropped to 46.8%, down 5.3 points from the previous wave. The length of advertising breaks remains the main factor driving viewers away. A total of 37.7% say that overly long advertising breaks are the situation most likely to prompt them to switch content or leave a platform. This is followed by the interruption of an important scene or moment, cited by 29.8% of respondents.
The World Cup has also boosted demand for sports content on free streaming services. Sports broadcasts and content sees the biggest increase among entertainment genres, rising 3.5 percentage points to 28.0%, Meanwhile, comedy remains the most in-demand fiction genre on free streaming platforms, selected by 44.7% of users. It is closely followed by crime and mystery, at 43.7%, and action and adventure, at 43.3%.
Spain’s Free Streaming Market Shifts as RTVE Play Surges During the World Cup
