January 22 – Juventus has become the first major club to join Gerard Piqué’s fast-growing Kings League Italy, a 7-a-side tournament that merges traditional football with modern entertainment.
The Bianconeri will 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 partnership will also provide Zebras FC ‘members’ with exclusive perks, such as tickets to Juventus matches and training opportunities at the Allianz Training Centre -adding a touch of Serie A prestige to the venture.
The Kings League, launched by Piqué and his Kosmos company, is beginning to make an impact. Its inaugural Kings World Cup of Nations kicked off in January and secured deals with more than 20 media partners and a host of major sponsors.
Key broadcasters included Sky Sports in Italy, DAZN in Japan and Australia, ESPN and Disney+ in Latin America, and CBS Golazo Network in the United States.
The tournament also attracted high-profile sponsors like McDonald’s, Red Bull, Spotify, Air Asia, Adidas, and Floki.
All of this underscores the growing influence of 7-a-side football in the professional side of the game. Juventus, a club with an eye for innovation, has wasted no time in hopping aboard.
Speaking at the competition’s sponsor announcement earlier this month, Oriol Granell, Kings League chief commercial officer, said: “As football’s most streamed competition, our events offer broadcasters and brands enormous potential to connect with young audiences across the globe.
“We’re thrilled to be welcoming a roster of such high-profile broadcasters, platforms, and commercial partners at this exciting time for the competition.”
The inaugural Kings World Cup of Nations featured 16 national teams, including from Brazil, Spain, and Italy, and brought back legendary players such as Kaká, Andrea Pirlo, Francesco Totti, and Alessandro Del Piero. Fittingly, the final between Brazil and Colombia was held at Juventus’s Allianz Stadium in Turin, with Brazil taking the crown.
Contact the writer of this story, Harry Ewing, at moc.l1737579192labto1737579192ofdlr1737579192owedi1737579192sni@g1737579192niwe.1737579192yrrah1737579192