Saudi Arabia will host the Spanish Super Cup for the next three years after an agreement was reached between the GSA and the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) to host the event in Jeddah.
The first Saudi edition of the Spanish Super Cup will take place from January 8-12 and will include reigning La Liga champions Barcelona, Copa del Rey winners Valencia, as well as Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid – who finished second and third in the league respectively.
It is the first time four teams will contest the Spanish Super Cup after a new format was adopted to depart from the traditional tie between the La Liga and Copa del Rey winners.
Lionel Messi’s Barcelona will face Atletico Madrid and Valencia will take on Real Madrid in the semi-finals of the new tournament, which will be held at the King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah.
Spanish newspaper ABC has claimed the RFEF could earn as much as $43 million per year from the Spanish Super Cup agreement.
🏆 Por primera vez, la Supercopa tendrá 4⃣ equipos en liza
— RFEF (@rfef) November 11, 2019
🇸🇦 Por primera vez, la Supercopa se disputará en Arabia Saudí
🏟 El King Abdullah Sports City será el espectacular escenario de una cita histórica con @ValenciaCF, @FCBarcelona_es, @RealMadrid y @Atleti#Supercopa2020 pic.twitter.com/XdeJWlrjar
“The internationalisation of the competition will increase its value and contribute to raising our visibility and improving our image ahead of our bid to host the 2030 World Cup,” an RFEF statement said, adding that the new Spanish Super Cup would “ease fixture congestion” and help clubs “better plan their pre-seasons”.
A spokesman of RFEF chief Luis Rebales also confirmed to AS: “Saudi women will be allowed to attend the three games freely, without restrictions and wearing whatever clothes they feel is appropriate. There will not be an area of the stadium specifically set aside for them and that is written in the contract.
“It will not be the Super Cup of shame. We have an agreement with the Saudi Federation to also stage a women’s tournament there and that is something we will do. We are going to Saudi Arabia because it is good for Spanish football and it’s important for us to be recognized even more because we want to host a World Cup with Portugal.”
The Italian Super Cup was also held in Saudi Arabia, with Juventus beating AC Milan 1-0 this January, with Cristiano Ronaldo and Co. set to compete again in Riyadh against Lazio on December 22.
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