January 31 – Hot on the heels of the rapidly growing six-a-side Baller League, comes the announcement that the Kings League, the innovative 7-a-side football competition founded by Gerard Piqué, will form a partnership with the Serie A, Italy’s top football league.
As part of the agreement, both leagues will co-develop events, produce digital content, and create interactive activations. The idea behind this concept is to attract a younger demographic who now consume football in a different way too the traditional 11-aside model.
Last week the Kings League announced a collaboration with Juventus that will see the Serie A club partner with Zebras FC, a team chaired by Juventus fan Luca Campolunghi, to participate in the upcoming Kings League Italy championship, set to begin in the coming weeks.
The Kings League, much like the Baller League which earlier this week announced the closing of a £23 million funding round, has already attracted the involvement of former Serie A stars such as Zlatan Ibrahimović, Francesco Totti, Alessandro Del Piero, Gianluigi Buffon, Leonardo Bonucci, Claudio Marchisio, and Luca Toni demonstrating its growing appeal within the traditional football ecosystem.
CEO of Lega Serie A, Luigi De Siervo said: “We at Lega Serie A are delighted to announce this partnership with Kings League. We have to continue to try and speak to the next generation of football fans, and a collaboration with Kings League does just that. They have a fresh and dynamic approach to the sport, which has resulted in one of the most interesting and innovative creations in our game’s long history.
“The elements of fan participation and customisation are intriguing and have resulted in their fan base being engaged with and excited for all elements of the league. We believe combining our traditions and legends with the creativity of Kings League will open up new opportunities for both entities, capture a wider audience, and further strengthen Serie A’s position as one of the premier football leagues in the world,” he continued.
Djamel Agaoua, CEO of Kings League said, “We are thrilled to announce our partnership with Lega Serie A. Serie A is one of the most prestigious football leagues in the world, and we are delighted to be joining with them to provide new and exciting content and sporting opportunities for our fans. This partnership is an exciting step forward in our continued growth around the world, as we expand our global presence. Joining forces with Serie A will allow us to continue innovating and creating, to bring an unparalleled experience to our fans, which carefully blends tradition with modernity, fostering excitement in new fans. Together with our friends at Serie A, we look forward to creating new opportunities for a new generation of football fans, and reaching new heights together.”
With 12 teams per league, who are owned by a mix of ex-footballers, digital creators, and influencers, the league is gathering momentum for different platforms of the sport.
Multiple games are played in a single-day format, leading to end-of-season playoffs and finals. Major stadiums such as FC Barcelona’s Camp Nou, Atlético Madrid’s Metropolitano, and Mexico’s Estadio Azteca have been secured for these end-of-season extravaganzas.
How the two formats will co-exist has yet to be determined.
Contact the writer of this story, Nick Webster, at moc.l1738292260labto1738292260ofdlr1738292260owedi1738292260sni@o1738292260fni1738292260