November 12: Serie A has opened the bidding for Coppa Italia broadcast rights from 2027 to 2030, offering bidders two formats, one of which would bring many more third-tier clubs into the competition.
Broadcasters can bid for the current 44-team format, made up of 20 Serie A clubs, 20 Serie B clubs and four from Serie C, or an expanded version in which 32 Serie C clubs would participate.
The expanded model would use individual matches in each round, closer to England’s FA Cup, where clubs from across the pyramid come together. Serie A is also considering taking home advantage rather than handing it to the higher team. This would give a Serie C club the chance to host top-flight opposition in front of their own fans, which is exactly what makes the early rounds of the FA Cup so popular.
No decision has been made on home advantage. Which format will be used between 2027 and 2028 will depend on the offers the league receives. Mediaset currently owns the rights.
The Supercoppa Italiana will be tendered separately.
The clubs have also extended Frecciarossa, Trenitalia’s high-speed rail service, as title sponsor for a further three years.
The move reflects pressure on the Coppa Italia, long criticized for protecting big clubs by giving them byes and home draws until the later rounds. Upheavals have been rare, and with them the stories that attract audiences. An expanded format could change that, creating more giant-killing opportunities and more matches for broadcasters.
It would also give Serie C clubs, many of whom are struggling financially, a share of the attention and potential revenue.