Channel 4 has re-signed the rights to show Italian Football for another three years. Football Italia will continue to show a comprehensive package of top class action from Serie A, the finest football league in the world .

Channel 4 launches the new season of coverage with an unprecedented weekend double-header of Football Italia. There’s a special match live on Saturday night, 18th September, featuring the Serie A champions, Milan, at Bari, with another live game (choice of match yet to be confirmed) in the regular Sunday afternoon slot.

Mezzanotte Football Italia will return with a weekly Tuesday late night show, with coverage of the Sunday night game from Serie A. On Tuesday 21st September, this will be another huge game, Inter v Parma.

Starting off the season on Four, setting the scene, and catching up with the latest news in the game is the magazine programme Gazzetta Football Italia, on the morning of Saturday 18th September. It’s an unmissable hour for football fans, all the more so this week as it will feature the highlights from the first weeks of the season.

Channel 4’s Controller of Sport, Mark Sharman, said: ‘This deal is great news for sport on Channel 4 – most of the best players in the world will be in action on Football Italia, including Ronaldo, Del Piero, Vieri, Batistuta, Salas and Shevchenko. Fans of the game should be particularly pleased with our live double header- it promises to be an excellent few days of football, with some of the biggest names in the sport taking part. And with an expanded Champions League this year, there’s more reason than ever to keep track of Serie A, the world’s premier league.