The Al-Awwal Park stadium in Riyadh is set to host a star-studded Supercoppa Italiana, with a mix of current and former football luminaries gracing the stands. While Thursday’s Juventus-Milan clash is already sold out, organizers are optimistic about a decent turnout for Wednesday’s Inter-Atalanta semifinal.
The 25,000-capacity stadium, usually home to Stefano Pioli’s team and Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr, has been temporarily repurposed for the Supercoppa Italiana semifinals and the final on Monday, January 6. The tournament, to be broadcast in 160 countries, underscores the growing international appeal of Italian football.
Serie A has extended invitations to former Serie A players now plying their trade in the Saudi Pro League. While Cristiano Ronaldo’s attendance remains uncertain, Stefano Pioli has confirmed his presence for the Juventus-Milan match, marking his first live viewing of his former team since parting ways last season.
The guest list also includes players from clubs that have provided training facilities, such as Fatih Terim and Giacomo Bonaventura from Al Shabab. Last year saw Sergej Milinkovic-Savic supporting his ex-Lazio teammates, while David Ospina visited the Napoli camp.
For Wednesday’s match, notable attendees from Italy include Paolo Bedin, President of Serie B, and Silvia Salis, Deputy Vice President of CONI (Italian National Olympic Committee).
The final on January 6 promises to be a gathering of Serie A legends and ambassadors. The star-studded lineup includes Roberto Donadoni, Vincent Candela, Ciro Ferrara, Andrea Pirlo, Luca Toni, Alessandro Del Piero, Marco Materazzi, Christian Vieri, Gianluca Zambrotta, Massimo Oddo, Fabio Capello, Marco Borriello, and Luigi Di Biagio. These football icons will participate in a gala dinner on Sunday and a padel tournament the following day.
In a unique initiative, the special gold-colored Puma match balls will be auctioned after each goal through Socios.com. Additionally, the best player of each match will receive an EA Sports-sponsored award.
