StarzPlay show seeks MENA football star

Abu Dhabi-based streamer StarzPlay is launching a reality TV show that will search for a future star of Italy’s top professional football league, Serie A, from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA).

The Italian Dream will scour the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Morocco and Egypt for young footballing talent, following aspiring pros through trials and eliminations until one player is picked.

Footballing legends from Serie A will participate in the show as mentors and guides for the competitors.

The six-episode series is being made by media and entertainment studio Image Nation Abu Dhabi in partnership with PureHealth, the largest healthcare platform in the Middle East.

StarzPlay is the home of Italian football in the MENA region, holding the rights to stream every match from Serie A live and exclusively.

A launch event for the show was held last week in Abu Dhabi, which was attended by figures including Luigi De Siervo, CEO of Serie A; former Roma and Italy star Francesco Totti; and Maaz Sheikh, CEO of StarzPlay.

Sheikh said: “The launch of The Italian Dream is a testament to StarzPlay’s commitment to diversify its content range to meet its audience’s preferences, and its continued drive to produce the highest standard of Arabic content and showcase local talent.

“By examining audience viewing patterns and viewership data, we recognised that sports play a crucial role in attracting viewers across the Middle East and North Africa, with football standing out as the sport of choice in a nation driven by the vision of its leaders towards healthy and happy living. It was from this analysis that the concept for The Italian Dream was born.”