π Will Kings League MENA Play With or Against the Big Local Streamers?
To win in MENA, Kings League might need more than Twitch, YouTube, and TikTok
Hey streamers! Today, letβs change the rules β½οΈπ
The way we watch sports is changing, so why not change how we play them too?
Some competitions are already trying new formats. One of them is Kings League.
It started in 2022, created by former Barcelona player Gerard PiquΓ© and famous streamer Ibai Llanos. Since then, it has grown fast, with new leagues in the Americas, Italy, France, Germany, and Brazil.
Now, itβs coming to the MENA region. Kings League MENA was just announced and will launch later in 2025.
But what is Kings League? And why does it matter for sports in MENA?
Read on to learn about:
What is Kings League? How this new football format mixes sports with fun rules
Introducing Kings League MENA: Get the key details on the MENA launch
So What? How it could impact sports and streaming in MENA.
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What is Kings League?
Here is the main rule of the Kings League, as described on their website:
βThe Kings League is created by all of us. And that includes the way the game is played and the rules, with rules that fans have decided by popular vote on social mediaβ
But letβs starts with the basics: where does the Kings League come from?
The Kings League is a new kind of football competition created in Spain in 2022 by Gerard PiquΓ©. Itβs a 7-a-side league with fun, fast-paced matches and special rules chosen by fans.
The Kings League has fun rules: unlimited subs, fast penalty shootouts, timeouts for cards, and secret weapon cards with special powers. Fans vote on rules, and matches sometimes switch to 1v1 or 3v3 for extra drama. Each team is managed by a popular streamer or former footballer, and games are streamed live on Twitch, YouTube, and TikTok.
What are the existing leagues and competitions?
After its success in Spain, the Kings League expanded to other countries:
Kings League AmΓ©ricas launched in Mexico in 2024, with teams owned by Latin American celebrities.
In 2025, new versions were announced in Italy, Germany, France, and Brazil, each with local stars like Zlatan IbrahimoviΔ and Bastian Schweinsteiger.
On top of these leagues, there are 2 international competitions: the Kings World Cup Clubs, where top teams from each country compete, and the Kings World Cup Nations, with national teams made of Kings League players.
Fans can also join the action with the Kings League Fantasy app, where they build their own teams using player cards and earn points based on real matches.
Thereβs also a womenβs version called the Queens League, which follows the same format with 12 teams. It started in Spain in 2023 and later expanded to Latin America. For young players, the Prince Cup was created, a youth tournament organized during school holidays.
Together, these leagues mix football, entertainment, and digital fun in a new way thatβs made for todayβs fans.
Letβs now focus on the MENA edition that is expected by the end of 2025 π
Introducing Kings League MENA
Last week, on May 27th, Kings League officially announced the launch of Kings League MENA, in partnership with SURJ Sports Investment.
The league will start later this year in Saudi Arabia, becoming the seventh league in the fast-growing Kings League global network.
Kings League MENA will follow the same winning format: open tryouts, digital-first storytelling, and crazy, entertaining gameplay made for streaming platforms.
The launch is backed by SURJ Sports Investment, a company created in 2023 under Saudi Arabiaβs Public Investment Fund (PIF). SURJ was launched to invest in global sports, support new sports platforms, and grow the MENA sports economy.
PIF and SURJ have made some of the biggest moves in global sports:
β Acquired a minority stake in DAZN, and launched DAZN MENA
β Invested in the Professional Fighters League (PFL)
β Took control of four major Saudi Pro League clubs: Al Hilal, Al Nassr, Al Ittihad, and Al Ahli
β Invested in LIV Golf
β And in 2021, PIF bought the Premier League club Newcastle United
Now theyβre betting on the Kings League. With its unique mix of sports and entertainment, Kings League MENA should bring something new to the region: a platform for football, content creation, and fans.
Now the question is:
What does it mean for the sports ecosystem in the MENA region? π
So What?
Iβve written a lot about sports in MENA, especially from a streaming angle.
Most of the international sports available in the region are pretty βclassicβ: football, tennis, golf, combat sports, Basketball, Rugby, etc.
On the local side, youβll find more traditional or niche sports like camel racing or falconry.
Some newer formats are starting to break through. Padel, for example, is now shown on DAZN, TOD, and even bundled with some telecom packages.
Then thereβs DAZN, which brings in unexpected sports, like Bare Knuckle Fighting or even pillow fighting.
But Kings League is something different.
If they follow their usual strategy, games will stream live on Twitch, YouTube, and TikTok. But to really connect with audiences in MENA, theyβll need to localize both distribution and marketing.
Partnering with platforms like Lovin Dubai could help build quick league awareness. Hosting local events in Riyadh, Dubai, and other key cities would also help, showing what Kings League is and why itβs worth watching.
Hereβs another idea: team up with local streaming platforms like Shahid.
Why?
Shahidβs AVOD model is free and doesnβt require login, super easy to access.
It already has a massive audience: 18.6 million AVOD users.
And Shahid is part of MBC Group, which is owned by PIF, the same fund backing Kings League MENA.
Feels like a natural fit, right?
Wishing everyone a great week! See you online this Friday for a new edition of my Streaming in Short.
