What is the Kings League?

The Kings League is not a gimmick. It is the most radical football format of our time - born in 2022 from a TikTok idea, realised by former FC Barcelona player Gerard Piqué and Spanish streamer Ibai Llanos, and celebrated by millions. The aim was to revolutionise traditional football with new rules and a modern entertainment concept. The Kings League poses a question that amateur football should also ask itself: What if we were to rethink football?

Rules and Special Features

The Kings League differs from traditional football in several respects:

• Game Mode: 7 versus 7 on a small pitch

• Playing Time: Two halves of 20 minutes each

• Draw: Not possible; in the event of a tie, a shootout follows in which players run from the centre circle towards the goal

• Substitutions: Unlimited

• Cards: Yellow card leads to a 2-minute time penalty, red card to a 5-minute time penalty

• Secret Cards: Before the game, each team draws a card with special advantages, e.g. double goals for a certain time or the removal of an opponent for a few minutes.

• President Penalty: Team presidents can take a penalty kick during the game.

These rules are designed to make the game more dynamic and entertaining and appeal to a younger audience in particular.

International Expansion

Following the successful launch in Spain, the Kings League expanded internationally:

• Kings League Americas

• Kings League Italy

• Kings League Brazil

• Kings League France

• Kings League Germany

In Germany, the Kings League started in April 2025 with eight teams, including

• No Rules FC (with my former player Nam Nguyen)

• Vice Versa FC (with Mario Götze, among others)

• Kaktus Kickers

• Futbolistas Locos FC

• Youniors FC

• ERA Colonia

• G2 Football Club

• Tikitacker Fußballfreunde

The German league comprises eight match days, in which two teams can qualify for the Kings World Cup Clubs 2025 in Paris. The Kings World Cup Clubs 2025 is the international highlight of the Kings League. A total of 32 teams will take part, including

• 5 teams from Spain,

• 4 teams from the Americas,

• 4 teams from Brazil,

• 4 teams from France,

• 4 teams from Italy,

• 2 teams from Germany.

The tournament takes place at La Défense Arena in Paris and promises exciting matches between the best Kings League teams in the world.

Reach and Spectator Numbers

The Kings League has quickly become a global phenomenon:

• Kings World Cup Nations 2025: over 100 million viewers worldwide

• Kings League Brazil 2025: peak viewing figures of over 823,000 concurrent viewers

• Social Media: Millions of follows and 393 million views on Tiktok

Three Lessons for Associations, Clubs and Coaches

1. Entertainment is part of it.

Football is not just sport - it's a show. What works in the Kings League can also work in your club: Presentation, music, highlight clips. Fans want more than goals - they want stories.

2. New rules create new experiences.

Why not extra points for 3 goals? Or fair penalties instead of yellow-red? The Kings League shows that rules can be customised. Even in your tournament. This motivates players - and inspires parents, spectators and sponsors.

3. Thinking digitally is not a luxury, but a duty.

QR codes for tournament schedules, live scoreboards, voting for the fairest coach - it's now easier than ever. CoachingArea is your digital assistant coach: from the invitation to the award ceremony, all in one app.

Conclusion: Inspiration instead of copy.

Nobody expects you to become Piqué. But you can think like him. Courageous. Player-centred. Digital. The Kings League is not a model for everyone - but a wake-up call for many. Amateur football doesn't need a revolution - but it does need the courage to change.

And maybe your next tournament will be the first step.