PARIS — The Kings League says they’re coming to america, the one query is when. It has been an intense yr for the organizers of the Kings League, the seven-a-side format identified for its unconventional guidelines that was based by former FC Barcelona defender Gerard Pique in 2022. Since then, the match, which first kicked off in Spain, has expanded internationally and that is the path each Pique and Kings League’s CEO Djamel Agaoua are pursuing. After Spain, they expanded to South America with the Americas Kings League, and within the first quarter of 2025 the Kings League launched in 4 new nations: Italy, France, Germany and Brazil. Within the meantime additionally they organized two editions of the Kings World Membership Cup, with the present version ending June 14 in Paris, one Kings World Cup Nations that befell in Turin in January 2025 and the Queens League.
Now, the mission for each Pique and Agaoua is evident. “The subsequent huge factor is launching the Kings League in america,” they revealed sitting down with CBS Sports activities.
The Kings World Cup Golf equipment started on June 1 with the ultimate occurring on June 14, with the entire motion airing on CBS Sports Golazo Network and YouTube
What’s subsequent: The US
The Kings League has not too long ago introduced they will even launch the format within the MENA area (Center East and North Africa) and whereas the brand new leagues are performing above expectations, the eyes of each Pique and Agaoua are actually trying in the identical path, america. The best roadmap is to launch the Kings League forward of the 2026 World Cup. “It’d occur initially of 2026, or possibly earlier than, however the plan is evident. We’re on the lookout for the best partnerships, the best venues that may host the video games but additionally sturdy creators that may personal the groups,” Pique stated.
Neither the previous defender nor Agaoua are fearful in regards to the enterprise facet of the funding in america. “We raised round $60 million in 2024 to face the growth in different nations. We normally spend round $5-6 million per nation [when] we launch the league in a brand new nation, however we count on the funding within the USA to be at the least 4 occasions extra. It’s because all of the advertising operations are dearer, but additionally as a result of we have to rent and join the present work expertise of our staff based mostly in Europe with our new assets. It is like evaluating the US with Europe, not with only one nation. On the similar time, the maturity of sport enterprise in america is at one other degree. It will not be a difficulty. Will probably be harder to seek out the best folks, for this reason we’re additionally planning to start out with East Coast, it is nearer to Barcelona the place our headquarters are,” Agaoua stated.
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Selecting the best folks is vital, however so is deciding which market to enter and that is a side of the work of Agaoua, who was appointed as the brand new CEO in October 2024. For instance, the Kings League was launched in nations like Italy, France, Spain and Brazil, however not in locations like England. Agaoua defined to why.
“It occurred for various causes, however we’re open for the longer term. To begin with we want sturdy content material creators to personal the golf equipment and stream the content material each day. Twitch is a crucial issue for us, and the Twitch tradition within the U.Ok. will not be on the degree of different nations. Then, the Premier League is the very best league in Europe and whereas within the different nations the normal sport is getting much less consideration, within the UK we do not see the same pattern. And lastly, once they tried to launch the Tremendous League we noticed an enormous response of the fanbases of the golf equipment concerned.”
They’re taking extra time to make that a lot awaited step in america, however that is going to occur. They want extra time because the market is larger than every other nation the place it is launched, and the strategy will even be totally different in comparison with the opposite ones. The one query is when will probably be introduced and when it’ll kick off. With the upcoming Membership World Cup beginning on June 14, and the 2026 World Cup subsequent yr, the Kings League can also be coming to america.