Serie A's €900M TV Revenue Overhaul Coming in 2026

Italy's Sports Minister Andrea Abodi has confirmed that a comprehensive overhaul of the country's broadcasting rights legislation for football is moving toward parliamentary review. The reform could reshape how television revenue flows through Serie A clubs—and what you'll pay to watch matches.

Why This Matters to You

If you're a Serie A fan in Italy, this reform could change where and how much you pay to watch your team. Currently, you're likely paying around €34.99 per month for DAZN or bundling Sky Sport subscriptions. The proposed reforms could introduce exclusive broadcast deals—meaning all Serie A matches on a single platform—which could push subscription costs higher or lower depending on how the government structures the licensing.

Here's what's coming:

• Exclusive deals could reshape your viewing options: The government proposes allowing a single broadcaster to hold exclusive rights for up to three years, potentially concentrating all Serie A content on one platform. This could simplify your viewing but raise subscription costs.

• Revenue redistribution affects club competitiveness: Over 50% of TV revenue could be split equally among all Serie A clubs instead of rewarding only the biggest teams, which means smaller clubs may compete harder and spending across the league will level out.

• Youth development incentives: Clubs fielding more homegrown Italian players could receive a larger share of the television pot, encouraging investment in academies.

• Timeline matters: Changes take effect 1 July 2026, but your current DAZN/Sky contracts won't change until 2029 when the new rights cycle begins.

The Legislative Framework Under Scrutiny

The so-called Legge Melandri, introduced in 2008, centralized the sale of Serie A television rights and banned selling all packages to a single broadcaster. Its current revenue-sharing formula allocates 50% equally, 28% based on sporting results, and 22% tied to "social rooting"—a blend of stadium attendance, television audience, and minutes given to young Italian-trained players.

Abodi told reporters this week that the content of the reform is ready and discussions with the two relevant parliamentary commissions are underway to secure consensus. "We have the content; now we verify the agreement," he said, signaling that the executive is prepared to move quickly once legislative backing is confirmed.

The proposed draft law would permit exclusive licensing to a single operator, a departure from the current pluralism requirement. Licenses could stretch to three years, with Serie A potentially securing even longer terms if the Italian Communications Authority (AGCOM) determines market conditions are favorable. The government's declared aim is to maximize economic returns from rights sales—an approach mirroring strategies employed in Spain and England, where centralized exclusive deals have driven revenue growth.

What Changes for Italian Clubs

Under the draft framework, more than 50% of broadcast income would be distributed equally among participating clubs, with the remainder allocated according to sporting merit accrued since the 1999/2000 season and performance in training and fielding young Italian players. Crucially, the criteria tied to stadium attendance and television audience would disappear, a shift that could benefit smaller clubs with limited fan bases while potentially squeezing the financial advantage enjoyed by Italy's traditional powerhouses.

For mid-table and lower-ranked Serie A teams, this redistribution could translate into greater financial stability, enabling them to compete more aggressively in the transfer market and retain key players. Conversely, top clubs such as Inter, Juventus, and AC Milan—which currently capture a disproportionate share of audience-driven revenue—may see their relative slice shrink, even if the total pool expands.

The Lega Serie A, the governing body for Italy's top flight, has publicly expressed "dismay and strong opposition" to the reform, particularly over the lack of prior consultation and concerns that additional solidarity contributions to other sports could drain resources essential for Serie A's development and sustainability. The league already channels 10% of its revenue to lower divisions and has argued that further redistribution risks undermining its competitive position relative to England's Premier League, Spain's La Liga, and Germany's Bundesliga.

European Context: Lessons from Other Leagues

Italy's reform effort arrives as other major European leagues grapple with similar questions about exclusivity, fairness, and revenue maximization. Spain's La Liga centralized television sales in 2015, replacing individual club negotiations with a collective model. The result was an 8.5% increase in overall revenue for the 2017-2018 season and a dramatic narrowing of the income gap between top and bottom clubs. A new five-year deal with DAZN and Telefónica for the 2027-2032 cycle is valued at €6.14 billion annually, representing a 9% increase over the current contract.

England's Premier League remains the gold standard, generating roughly €1.91 billion annually in domestic rights alone and benefiting from fierce competition among Sky Sports, BT, and Amazon. Italy's current Serie A domestic rights are valued at around €900 million per year through 2029, lagging significantly behind Spain's Liga and the Premier League. The proposed reform is explicitly designed to close that gap.

Beyond Football: Basketball and Youth Programs

Abodi's portfolio extends beyond football. On the same day he discussed the Melandri reform, he met with Giovanni Petrucci, president of the Italian Basketball Federation (FIP), and Maurizio Gherardini, head of the Lega Basket, to discuss sustainability challenges facing professional basketball in Italy.

The agenda included infrastructure development, tax credits for sports facilities, incentives for youth academies, the possibility of allowing betting agencies to sponsor clubs under strict regulatory oversight, and redirecting a percentage of sports betting revenue generated from basketball events back into the sport. "Sport recognized in the Constitution was a great achievement," Petrucci and Gherardini said in a joint statement. "We want to work together to build pathways that unite the social aspects of sports practice with the highest levels of professionalism."

Separately, Abodi announced expanded funding for the Italian Red Cross Youth Camps program, which will host 8 camps in summer 2026 and 20 in summer 2027, engaging 560 young people aged 18 to 25 in activities focused on responsible citizenship, health, and social inclusion. "We will increase this network of opportunities because it is part of public policy for young people," the minister said. "This experience is educational, and we will do everything possible to allocate ever-increasing resources to it."

Timeline and Next Steps

The government's proposed reforms are scheduled to take effect from 1 July 2026, covering competitions starting after that date. However, Serie A's existing contracts with DAZN and Sky extend through the 2028/2029 season, meaning any new sales framework would only apply to the subsequent rights cycle beginning in 2029.

Abodi has indicated that the reform will proceed as a decree, subject to parliamentary commission approval and government endorsement. The minister emphasized that the "essential architecture" of the legislation is complete, with the current phase focused on building political consensus and balancing the interests of federal sports bodies.

Whether the reform succeeds in revitalizing Italian football's finances and competitiveness—or sparks further friction between government, the league, and clubs—will become clearer as the legislative process unfolds in the coming months.