The four-team format starts today, with single-elimination semifinals and an unprecedented TV production: Milan, Napoli, Inter and Bologna face off in Saudi Arabia for the first trophy of the season
The spotlight of Italian football turns to Riyadh. The Italian Supercoppa gets underway today and, for the fourth consecutive year, will be played in Saudi Arabia, once again using the Final Four format introduced in 2023. A short, high-octane tournament and, above all, an extremely lucrative one, with a total prize pool of €53 million, generating revenue for all Serie A clubs and featuring four teams that were standout performers last season: Inter, Napoli, Milan and Bologna.
The competition opens immediately with a top-level clash. Tonight, Thursday December 18, holders Milan take on Napoli in the first semifinal. The Rossoneri did not qualify as defending champions but as runners-up in last season’s Coppa Italia: the format, in fact, includes the league champions and Coppa Italia winners from the previous season, plus the Serie A runners-up and the losing Coppa Italia finalists.
Last year, the triumph of Conceição’s Milan (who had just arrived to replace the sacked Fonseca) came through two dramatic comeback wins, first against Juventus and then against Inter.
On the other side stands reigning Serie A champions Napoli, determined to lift the first trophy of the season and to get revenge on Milan on an international stage. The last time the two sides met in a knockout competition dates back to the 2022/23 season, when they clashed over two legs in the Champions League quarterfinals. Milan came out on top, amid controversy over refereeing decisions, especially in the return leg at the Maradona.
Tomorrow, Friday December 19, it will be Inter versus Bologna. The Nerazzurri, Serie A runners-up, start as favorites, but Bologna have established themselves in recent years as a major force in Italian football and will experience a historic moment in Riyadh.
For the Rossoblù, this will be their first-ever Supercoppa appearance, earned through their Coppa Italia victory. A prestigious reward for the work of Vincenzo Italiano and, above all, for the Bologna front office led by Sartori, as well as a major showcase against one of the league’s heavyweights.
The schedule will be tight: two single-elimination semifinals and the final on Monday December 22, all kicking off at 8:00 pm Italian time (10:00 pm local). In the event of a draw, there will be no extra time, with matches going straight to a penalty shootout. There is no third-place playoff, confirming a format designed to maximize spectacle and visibility.
What further elevates the event is the overall €53 million prize pool. The winners will collect €9.5 million, the runners-up €6.7 million, while the two losing semifinalists will earn €2.4 million each. In practical terms, for the defeated semifinalists it will not be a particularly lucrative deal, as after a demanding trip they will take home only €400,000 more than the other 16 Serie A clubs staying at home, who will each receive a €2 million payment from the league.
Figures that explain why, despite the geographical distance and the limited presence of Italian fans in the stands, the Supercoppa in Saudi Arabia has become a fixed date on the Italian football calendar.
There is also great focus on the quality of the television product.
“With this Italian Supercoppa we are once again raising the bar for sports TV production,” said Lega Serie A CEO Luigi De Siervo. “Never before have we deployed as many as 36 cameras, including an acrobatic drone, Sky Cam and cinematic cameras. We are turning the match broadcast into an immersive and engaging visual experience, capable of capturing every emotion on the pitch and in the stands, while also showcasing the different phases of play and the most significant technical actions. Thanks to the collaboration with Mediaset and Saudi Sports Channel, a TV production of outstanding technical and aesthetic quality will be delivered, further enhancing the Serie A product on a global level. This production effort reflects our commitment to innovation and to making Italian football more and more a true spectacle for everyone.”
In Italy, the matches will be broadcast free-to-air on Mediaset channels, as well as via free streaming on Sportmediaset and Mediaset Play. Worldwide, the Italian Supercoppa will be carried live by 53 broadcasters, reaching more than 180 territories. In the United States, the event will be available on CBS Sports via Paramount+.
From today, therefore, the Italian Supercoppa will speak Arabic, but it remains deeply tied to its sporting heart: four teams, one trophy and five days that promise entertainment, high-profile matchups and a major global showcase.
L’articolo The Italian Supercoppa kicks off, with €53 million reasons to play it in Riyadh proviene da Soccer Made In Italy.
