Italian soccer's top-tier Serie A has secured a new broadcast partner across 16 MENA (Middle East and North Africa) countries, in the form of Kuwait-based streaming firm Shasha.
Through a deal unveiled yesterday, Shasha will cover the remainder of the 2025-26 Serie A season, starting from the fourth gameweek of that 20-team competition, which will get underway on Friday (September 19).
Go deeper with GlobalData
Discover B2B Marketing That Performs
Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.
Specifically, the deal covers the following countries: Kuwait, Egypt, Oman, Jordan, Iran, Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Yemen, Palestine, Sudan, South Sudan, Djibouti, Chad, Mauritania, and Somalia.
It was brokered by Athlos Agency, with Shasha already the home of the top-tier Kuwaiti soccer competition, the Zain Premier League.
This deal comes on top of the MENA tie-up that the 20-team Serie A and the Starzplay streaming platform unveiled late last month.
That agreement runs through the 2027-28 season and was concluded just before the start of 2025-26, which got underway on August 23.
US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?
Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.
By GlobalDataOver the last few campaigns, the Italian league has also been shown across MENA by Abu Dhabi Media.
Domestically, meanwhile, DAZN and Sky Italia share rights.
Bader AlKulaib, co-founder and vice-chair at Shasha, added: "We are thrilled to bring Serie A to Shasha’s international audience. Our dramas and current affairs productions are already showcasing the best of our region, and our growing sports output will allow us to give our audiences even more incredible content to enjoy.”
From the 16 countries listed above, Libya's Al-Musrati is currently attached to Serie A side Hellas Verona.
Earlier this month, meanwhile, it was reported that Serie A has been working with international bank JP Morgan as an advisor for its international expansion and growth, according to reports.
JP Morgan and the league will initially work together on negotiating international media rights deals, according to the Milano Finanza Italian publication.
It has been reported that the initial target is for Serie A to stabilise its overseas media rights revenues at the current levels of between €240 million ($281.6 million) and €250 million each year.
