The Italian Super Cup, which traditionally raises the curtain on the Serie A season, will be staged at Beijing’s Olympic stadium in 2009, the Italian league announced.
The Bird’s Nest is the fourth international venue chosen for the Super Cup after Washington (1993), Tripoli (2002) and New York (2003).
The game between the winners of the League and Cup is scheduled for August 8 next year with the 2009-2010 Serie A season getting underway on August 23. The start of next season’s Italian league was brought forward by one week to give the clubs’ Italy internationals the chance to have played two matches before September’s batch of 2010 World Cup qualifiers.
The 2010 Serie A season will close on May 16, 2010, enabling players sufficient time to prepare for the World Cup in South Africa, qualification permitting.