Kings League, the next-generation seven-a-side football competition spearheaded by Gerard Piqué, has successfully secured a €60 million investment round. This substantial funding will accelerate the league’s ambitious global expansion plans.
Launched in Spain in early 2023, Kings League quickly gained traction, selling out iconic stadiums such as FC Barcelona’s Camp Nou and Atletico Madrid’s Metropolitano during its inaugural year. In February 2024, the league expanded internationally with the launch of Kings League Latam in Mexico, marking the beginning of its global reach.
Each regional league comprises 12 teams, owned and managed by Presidents who are high-profile football legends and internet streamers. These Presidents not only oversee their teams but also live stream the games on platforms like Twitch, YouTube, and TikTok, engaging directly with a Gen Z audience through digital channels.
Kings League integrates gamified elements into traditional football, resulting in dynamic, high-scoring 40-minute matches. The league adopts several American sports innovations, including a closed league model with franchise ownership, end-of-season playoffs, no drawn games, and a Draft system. Each team selects 10 of its 13-player roster through the Draft, reserving three slots for guest players, often former professional footballers.
Unique rules include starting the game with a 1 vs 1 format and adding a player every minute until the full team is on the pitch. Goals scored in the final two minutes count as double, and tie games are decided by a one-on-one 'shoutout.' Additionally, teams can use a 'secret card' in the second half to influence the game.
Gerard Piqué, the Founder of Kings League and a decorated football champion, commented on the league’s vision:
“When we launched Kings League a year ago, we aimed to transform sports and entertainment globally. We are creating a unique ecosystem, evolving the future of sport and entertainment into a new dimension that millions of young people around the world want to be a part of. We are still a young company but have high goals to reach a global audience by creating one of the most entertaining IPs in the world.”
The league has amassed over 13 million followers on its digital platforms, with more than 80 million hours of content watched and over 82 million views on TikTok. Its official Twitch channel is the second most-watched Spanish-language channel worldwide, and on TikTok, it has surpassed La Liga and the Premier League as the most-watched football league.
The investment round was led by Left Lane Capital, alongside Fillip, a global sports and entertainment-focused holding company, and Cassius. Harley Miller, CEO and Managing Partner of Left Lane Capital, stated:
“Kings League has created the stage for the world’s best seven-a-side football players to compete while combining this with gamified rules and creator culture to keep fans entertained for every moment of the match. Gerard and his team are building a unique global sports entertainment ecosystem that gives the game back to the fans while empowering the world’s leading creators to build unique sports franchises in their own identity.”
Looking ahead, Kings League plans to accelerate its global expansion by opening leagues across major European countries, North America, and Brazil during 2024 and 2025, with further expansion into Asia slated for 2026.
Comments