Pique's Kings League eyes U.S. launch by 2026

The Gerard Pique-founded Kings League said connected Saturday that it aims to motorboat its seven-a-side shot format successful the United States by 2026, adding to the database of nations wherever the online-orientated contention already has a footprint.

At a briefing successful Paris, Kings League CEO Djamel Agaoua told reporters that a U.S. Kings League could beryllium launched astir the extremity of this twelvemonth and commencement of the next.

"We consciousness acceptable to onslaught the large animal, which is the U.S. marketplace ... We commencement connected the East Coast for operational reasons," said Agaoua, who was successful the French superior for the Kings World Cup Clubs last astatine La Défense Arena connected Saturday evening.

Various caller buzzy shot formats, with smaller teams and shorter games than accepted 90-minute clashes, person sprung up circular Europe and elsewhere successful caller years, attracting a big of online influencers and erstwhile professionals.

With peculiar rules designed to absorption connected entertainment, the leagues are attracting large concern and ample streaming audiences. Some accepted fans deride them arsenic a glitzy distortion of the world's favourite sport.

Created by erstwhile Spain planetary Pique successful 2022, the Kings League has expanded accelerated to Italy, Germany, France and Brazil. It besides plans to motorboat a MENA league for the Middle East and Africa aboriginal this twelvemonth successful concern with the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund's sports arm.

The league estimates a €5-7 cardinal ($5.8-$8.1 million) concern successful each caller market, though the U.S. task would outgo more, Agaoua said. The Kings League raised €60m from investors successful its latest backing circular past year.

However, it was staying distant from China owed to regulatory challenges and from the UK due to the fact that streaming, including the Twitch platform, was little developed, the Kings League CEO said astatine the briefing with Pique.

The Baller League, already successful Germany and the UK, besides plans to motorboat its six-a-side format successful the U.S. aboriginal this year, with online property iShowSpeed, whose existent sanction is Darren Watkins Jr., its president.

Barcelona fable Pique, 38, told Reuters the beingness of rival leagues was not a deterrent.

"In Italy, for example, we had Goa7 League earlier we arrived ... It doesn't beryllium anymore," helium said.

"We person already 2 copycats that person created immoderate akin conception ... In Germany, but we decided to spell to Germany anyhow and we've been determination with besides large success."

The 2 competitors successful Germany are the Baller League Germany and ICON League, which was acceptable up by Former Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos and contented creator Elias Nerlich.

With an oculus to videogame rules, the Kings League has twists specified arsenic "President Penalties," which gives nine bosses a accidental to get connected the scoresheet arsenic good arsenic players.