News
The EA SPORTS FC Supercup took place from January 2 to 6, 2025, at the Al-Awwal Park Stadium in Riyad, the Saudi Arabian city that hosted fans from all over the world in an atmosphere full of excitement and sports passion. The tournament featured four Italian teams who played against each other in three thrilling matches, delivering a high-level football show broadcast globally.
The Host City: Riyad, Capital of Saudi Arabia
Riyad, the capital of Saudi Arabia, has a population of over 7 million and is a modern, vibrant metropolis located in the heart of the Arabian Desert. The city presents a fascinating architectural contrast, where tradition and modernity blend harmoniously. Its modern architecture combines traditional elements with futuristic design. An example of this amazing architecture is the majestic Kingdom Centre, the tallest skyscraper in the capital standing at 302 meters, and the iconic Al Faisaliah Tower. Riyad also holds valuable evidence of its rich historical past. The Al-Masmak area, with its characteristic fortress made of mud and clay, represents an important symbol of the origins of the Saudi dynasty. The Murabba Palace, which was home to King Abdulaziz from 1938 until his death, along with the King Abdulaziz Historical Center and the National Museum, represent key cultural elements in understanding the deep Arab and Islamic heritage of the region.
Diriyah, a protected UNESCO World Heritage Site, is located just outside the city and was the capital of the first Saudi state. On the outskirts of the city there is also one of the most iconic and breathtaking sites, Edge of the World (Jebel Fihrayn), an impressive cliff that is part of the vast Tuwayq Plateau, offering spectacular views extending to the horizon, creating the illusion of being right at the “edge of the world.”
The Program
The EA SPORTS FC Supercup saw four Serie A teams, based on the new “Final Four” competition format, which included 2 semifinals and a final.
The first semifinal took place on January 2, 2025, between Inter (winners of the 2023/2024 Serie A championship) and Atalanta (finalists of the 2023/2024 Coppa Italia). The team coached by Simone Inzaghi won 2-0 against Atalanta, earning a place in the final.
On January 3, 2025, Juventus (winners of the 2023/2024 Coppa Italia) and Milan (second-place finishers in the 2023/2024 Serie A) engaged in a thrilling match, which ended with Milan’s 2-1 victory, thus advancing to the final alongside Inter.
The Milan derby in Saudi Arabia culminated in the exiting final match on January 6, 2025, won by Milan who lifted the trophy under the Riyadh sky.
Services Provided by EI Towers
As the technological partner of Lega Serie A, EI Towers supported the television production of the EA SPORTS FC Supercup 2025 with an on-site crew and a remote team at the Master Control Rooms (MCR) of the Iliad International Broadcast Center (IBC) in Lissone (MB) and the production center in Cologno Monzese (MI). This synergy ensured high-quality broadcasting of the sporting event to millions of fans worldwide.
The production coordination services on-site, MCR services, and the management of the audio, video, and data signal contribution and distribution provided by EI Towers enabled the event’s broadcasting not only to the national broadcaster (Mediaset) in Italy but also to approximately 50 international broadcasters who aired the matches in over 180 countries worldwide.
EI Towers managed the complex satellite signal distribution system between the Al-Awwal Park Stadium in Riyadh and its MCRs in Italy using four transmission antennas provided by Alamiya Media, the local partner that also handled the television production with dedicated direction equipment for Lega Serie A and Mediaset. The transmission antennas, positioned at the stadium’s TV compound and supervised by EI Towers’ broadcast and external connection technical team, ensured the transmission of 8 distinct signals, totaling over 150 hours of redundant international connections. To coordinate the activities, the company also set up a VoIP conferencing system between the venue and its operational centers.
The facilities at the IBC center allowed ISG Europa (TGI Sport) to insert virtual advertising into the television signals. This solution enabled the customization of brand displays and advertisements according to the different countries where the broadcasters were airing the EA SPORTS FC Supercup matches.
The national signal distribution for Mediaset was handled from the Iliad International Broadcast Center in Lissone, as well as international distribution for coverage of the event in Europe, America, and the MENA region by international broadcasters. To ensure effective service delivery, EI Towers deployed a mix of technological resources (satellite, fiber optics, and SRT), supported by the expertise of its technical staff.
Also the post-production and archiving activities at the IBC in Lissone were managed with the help of EIT Sport, a company of the group, thus creating products in three commentary languages (Italian, English, and Arabic) and various formats tailored for brands, aimed at both the national and international markets and Lega Serie A’s official digital channels.
The EA SPORTS FC Supercup: A Success for EI Towers
The success of the EA SPORTS FC Supercup confirms EI Towers’ ability to offer broadcasters, rights holders, and anyone needing to distribute live content, signal contribution and distribution services for sports events, even on an international scale. The company thanks all its partners, clients, and suppliers for making this great event possible and reaffirms its commitment to the research and development of high-quality and reliable services in the broadcast sector.