The Supercoppa Italiana will return to Saudi Arabia next season for the bout between Inter and Juventus. It will take place abroad for the 11th time in its 30-year history, the eighth in the last 12 editions. The most recent one was held in Reggio Emilia because of the pandemic.
Serie A president Paolo Dal Pino announced the news in an interview with Radio Anch’io Lo Sport: “The next Supercoppa will be in Saudi Arabia in front of a crowd as included in our contract. It will be a spot for our football.”
The agreement faced some backlash in the past: “We signed it two or three years ago when I was not in charge. We have an intense relationship with their Football Association related to women’s football and to help them move in the right direction on human rights.”
The contract penned in 2018 mandated that three of the following four Supercoppa would be played in Saudi Arabia. The previous two were hosted by the King Abdallah Sports City in Jeddah and the King Saud University Stadium in Riyadh, now called Mrsool Park. Juventus prevailed over Milan in the first one, while they were bested by Lazio a year later.
Dal Pino did not announce the date, but it is expected to be scheduled in the Winter, as it has been the case in the last three seasons, Calcio e Finanza reports, likely in January. It will be the first meeting between the Old Lady and Inter in this competition since 2005. The Nerazzurri last participated and took it home in 2010.