Fast-expanding Kings League eyes US launch by 2026
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Fireworks are seen at the start of the final of the Spain's Kings League between El Barrio and xBuyer Team at Civitas Metropolitano stadium in Madrid.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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PARIS – The Gerard Pique-founded Kings League said on June 14 that it aims to launch its seven-a-side football format in the United States by 2026, adding to the list of nations where the online-orientated competition already has a footprint.
At a briefing in Paris, Kings League CEO Djamel Agaoua told reporters that a US Kings League could be launched around the end of this year and start of the next.
“We feel ready to attack the big animal, which is the US market... we start on the east coast for operational reasons,” said Agaoua, who was in the French capital for the Kings World Cup Clubs final at La Defense Arena on the evening of June 14.
Various new buzzy football formats, with smaller teams and shorter games than traditional 90-minute football, have sprung up round Europe and elsewhere in recent years, attracting a host of online influencers and former professionals.
With special rules to heighten entertainment, the leagues are attracting major investment and large streaming audiences, even as some traditional fans deride them as a glitzy distortion of the world's favourite sport.
Created by former Spanish international Pique in 2022, the Kings League has expanded fast to Italy, Germany, France and Brazil. It also plans to launch a Mena league for the Middle East and Africa later in 2025 in partnership with the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund’s sports arm.
The league estimates a €5 milllion to €7 million (S$7.4 million to S$10.4 million) investment in each new market, though the US venture would cost more, Agaoua said.
The Kings League raised €60 million from investors in its latest funding round in 2024.
However, it was staying away from China due to regulatory challenges and from the UK because streaming, including the Twitch platform, was less developed, the Kings League CEO said at the briefing with Pique.
The Baller League, already in Germany and the UK, also plans to launch its six-a-side format in the US later this year, with online personality iShowSpeed, whose real name is Darren Watkins Jr, its president.
Pique, 38, a defender who played for Manchester United and Barcelona, told Reuters the existence of rival leagues was not a deterrent.
“In Italy, for example, we had Goa7 League before we arrived... It doesn’t exist any more,” he said.
“We have already two copycats that have created some similar concept... in Germany, but we decided to go to Germany anyway and we’ve been there with also great success.”
The two competitors in Germany are the Baller League Germany and Icon League, which was set up by ex-player Toni Kroos and content creator Elias Nerlich.
With an eye to video game rules, the Kings League has novel twists such as “President Penalties”, which gives club bosses a chance to get on the scoresheet as well as players.
“You have a portion of fans that are a little bit tired of seeing the same thing every year,” Agaoua said of traditional football. “We estimate that we have probably 60 per cent of our fans that are football fans and 40 per cent that are not football fans that came to football through us.”
Pique said 85 per cent of Kings League viewers were under 35, consuming sports via Twitch, YouTube and other social media.
The league says it has generated over seven billion impressions and 400 million engagements globally on social media. REUTERS
