Kings League, the international soccer competition launched by Spanish soccer legend Gerard Pique and his Kosmos company, has announced the appointment of Djamel Agaoua as its new chief executive.

The competition, a digital-focused seven-a-side endeavor that has held events across Spain and Latin America, is targeting strong global expansion and has brought in Agaoua to facilitate.

Agaoua joins Kings League from the NBA, US basketball’s elite competition, where he had previously been managing director for Europe and the Middle East between January and July 2024.

The Kings League is aiming to expand with new regional leagues in markets such as Italy in Europe, Brazil in South America, and further leagues across North America (particularly Mexico), the Middle East, and Asia.

Furthermore, Agaoua will also oversee the competition as it launches its inaugural World Cup of Nations tournament pitting national teams from a multitude of prominent markets against each other.

Speaking on his appointment, Agaoua stated: “Kings League is unlike anything the sporting world has ever seen. By reimagining the game in this way, Gerard has harnessed the very best of football, entertainment and creator culture to entertain fans for every second of every match.

“It is creating disruption and driving innovation in sport which needs to be reinvented for the new generations. The intensity of the games and our unique way to produce our events are very popular with the young audiences who are so engaged with the concept.

“With that in mind, I am particularly excited to be joining at such a pivotal time for our global expansion and at helping to foster this kind of disruption and value creation on an even bigger scale.”

Pique himself added: “The Kings League growth trajectory has already surpassed all expectations, but it’s only the beginning as we continue to disrupt sport and engage with our audiences. Djamel brings experience of scaling a business globally that will be instrumental in accelerating our expansion.

“Together, we will turn our unique platform into a global sustainable ecosystem, empowering the world’s leading creators to build unique sports franchises in their own identity and tapping into a huge global audience by creating one of the world’s most entertaining IPs.”