By Marta Elena Casanova
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Index
The 2025/26 Serie A season is about to begin, and it’s not just another Scudetto race: it’s a league that, through its structure and economic scale, reflects the modern transformation of Italian football. With an increasingly “European” schedule, five Italian clubs in the Champions League, and a multi-billion euro TV rights deal, Serie A is entering a pivotal year for its sporting and commercial competitiveness.
Match schedule: no winter break and top fixtures well spaced
The top division kicks off tomorrow, August 23, at 6:30 PM, and will conclude on May 24, 2026 — with no winter break. Matches will also be played during the holiday season: December 21 and 28, January 3, and a midweek round on January 6, echoing the Premier League model.
The top fixtures have been smartly scheduled throughout the calendar:
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Matchday 3: Juventus vs Inter
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Matchday 5 – Sept 27/28: Milan vs Napoli
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Matchday 6 – Oct 4/5: Juventus vs Milan
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Matchday 7 – Oct 18/19: Roma vs Inter
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Matchday 9 – Oct 29: Atalanta
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Matchday 12 – Nov 22/23: Inter vs Milan
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Matchday 34 – Apr 25/26: Milan vs Juventus
The aim is clear: maintain strong fan engagement both at the stadium and on TV, avoiding dips in interest during less active periods.
Italian clubs in Europe: tighter schedules ahead
In 2025/26, four Italian clubs will play in the Champions League: Napoli, Inter, Atalanta, and Juventus. They’ll be joined by Gasperini’s Roma and Italiano’s Bologna in the Europa League, and Stefano Pioli’s Fiorentina in the Conference League.
For these teams, each week will be more demanding. Balancing Serie A and European competitions will be crucial not just for sporting performance, but commercially as well — since qualification for the next Champions League (2026/27) will carry even more financial weight.
How much is Serie A worth in 2025/26: TV rights and commercial revenue
Financially, Serie A is worth over €1.1 billion per year in domestic and international broadcasting rights. According to the current deals running through 2029:
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DAZN has exclusive rights to 7 matches per round
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Sky Sport co-broadcasts the remaining 3
The total package is valued at €4.5 billion over five years, averaging around €900 million per year in Italy alone. International rights, managed by the league’s commercial arm, are expected to exceed €250 million already in 2025/26.
Clubs participating in European competitions will also receive significant UEFA bonuses: a full Champions League campaign can be worth up to €100 million, while the Europa League guarantees €20–30 million — not including benefits in visibility, sponsorships, and rankings.
Sponsorships, branding, and marketing strategies
Beyond TV rights, clubs are exploring new ways to grow revenue. In this context, the fixture schedule becomes a vital tool to promote the league: concentrating marquee matches, avoiding long breaks, and syncing with major UEFA events all help maximize global audience engagement.
To remain competitive with the Premier League and Bundesliga, Serie A must be a continuous, profitable spectacle — and that’s not always easy. In a world where matches are consumed not only out of passion but also as media products, Italian football is trying to raise its game. The season is long, but the economic match has already begun.
By Marta Elena Casanova
