Serie A and Italian football to return to China via China Media Group collaboration

The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) and the China Media Group have signed a collaboration memorandum to develop comprehensive strategic collaboration around Italian football. The Chairman of the China Media Group, Shen Haixiong, and the President of FIGC, Gabriele Gravina, signed the memorandum in Rome on March 24. 

The memorandum is made under the background of strengthening Sino-Italy collaboration as Chinese President Xi visited Italy on March 22 local time and met with Italian President Sergio Mattarella, in the 15th year of the establishment of a strategic partnership between China and Italy. 

The collaboration between FIGC and China Media Group will aim to promote football development and football culture communication in China and Italy. 

According to the understanding between the two parties, Serie A will likely to have a more regular presence in China in the next three years, whether it is through media or by other ways.

Luigi de Siervo, the CEO of Serie A, said to CCTV in an interview that they would try to open an office in China as soon as possible to support Italian football, the clubs and the players in China. He said that Italian football would have a closer relationship with China. 

According to the memorandum signed in Rome, the two parties will organize training and courses for football technical staffs and club management teams, host friendly games for the two national teams in China and Italy. In addition, they will cooperate in digital and product development and offer new communication platforms for fans and football teams in the two countries. 

China Media Group is the central media group in China consisting of CCTV, China National Radio, China Radio International and CGTN. 

Reference: Renmin Ribao

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