Italian Super Cup returns to traditional format at San Siro

The Italian Super Cup takes a turn this season and returns to its roots. The title will be decided on December 22 at San Siro in a single match between Inter, the reigning Serie A and Coppa champions, and Lazio, the cup runners-up who fell 3-0 to the Nerazzurri. The move ends a four-year run of Final Four editions held in Saudi Arabia.

Key points of the return to the traditional format

• The match is played on December 22 at San Siro, as a single-leg final.
• Inter, double champions of Italy, face Lazio as Coppa finalists.
• The previous four editions took place in Saudi Arabia with a Final Four format.
• Lega Serie A has not explained the reasons for ending its partnership with Saudi Arabia.
• The Spanish Super Cup also leaves Saudi Arabia and will be played in Turkey in February.

Inter and Lazio, a cup final rematch

Inter arrive as the dominant force in Italian football after securing a domestic double last season. Their 3-0 victory over Lazio in the Coppa final gave them direct access to this Super Cup and left the Romans with a bitter memory of that defeat. Now, San Siro will host a fresh opportunity for Lazio to break that pattern and lift the first trophy of the campaign.

Napoli were the last Super Cup winners

The Final Four format in place since 2023 featured the champions and runners-up of both Serie A and the Coppa. The most recent edition crowned Napoli, who beat Bologna 2-0 in the final and closed that cycle with their name on the trophy. Before that period, the Super Cup had been played as a single match for decades, a model now restored with the return to Italy.

Saudi Arabia scales back its sports strategy

The Italian Super Cup's departure from Saudi Arabia comes at a time of adjustment in the country's sporting strategy. Its Public Investment Fund has been a major player in global sport, but in recent months it has shown a more selective approach. The clearest example was the reduction of support for the LIV golf circuit, a competition launched with ambitions of rivalling the PGA Tour that now faces a less certain future.

The Spanish Super Cup also changes venue

The Italian move is not isolated. The Spanish Super Cup, which in recent editions had been held in Saudi Arabia, is also leaving the country. This season it will take place in February in Turkey, keeping the Final Four format. The change follows the calendar, as Saudi Arabia will host the Asian Cup in January 2027 and the crowded international schedule forces alternative venues.

War in the Middle East halts major events

Instability in the region has hit the sporting calendar hard. The Formula 1 Grands Prix in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia and the Saudi Arabia Rally have been cancelled due to the conflict in the Middle East. Although Lega Serie A has not directly linked the Super Cup's departure to this situation, the regional context has weakened the ability to host major events normally.

With the return to San Siro, the Italian Super Cup recovers a classic format that simplifies the road to the title and brings it back to the heart of Milan. Inter and Lazio will contest the first trophy of the season without group stages or semi-finals, in a December night that promises intensity from the first minute.