The Italian Supercoppa was hosted in Saudi Arabia for the third successive season and fifth overall in January 2025.
Serie A champions Inter Milan took on city rivals AC Milan in the final, with the latter prevailing in a five-goal thriller.
We look back at past Italian Supercoppa finals played in the kingdom.
2024 - Inter 2 AC Milan 3
It took exactly one week on the job for Sergio Conceicao to earn his first trophy as AC Milan's coach – with two comeback wins no less.
Milan came back from two goals down to beat city rivals Inter Milan 3-2 and win the Italian Supercoppa final at Al Awwal Park in Riyadh.
Rafael Leao came off the bench and played a part in all three of Milan's goals from Theo Hernandez, Christian Pulisic and Tammy Abraham.
Conceicao was hired to replace the fired Paulo Fonseca and also led the Rossoneri to a comeback win over Juventus in the semi-finals.
2023 - Inter 1 Napoli 0
The first edition of the four-team format saw Serie A champions Napoli take on Coppa Italia winners Inter at Al Awwal Park in Riyadh, which will also host Monday's final.
Lautaro Martinez's last-minute goal earned Inter a dramatic 1-0 win as they claimed their third successive Italian Super Cup title.
Martinez's winner came in stoppage time when Benjamin Pavard made a great solo run and crossed from the right to find the Argentine striker in the six-yard box for a simple finish.
The victory handed Inter an eighth Supercoppa title, trailing only one behind Juventus' record haul of nine.
2022 - AC Milan 0 Inter 3
The King Fahd International Stadium hosted a Milan derby with Inter taking the honours over city rivals AC.
AC Milan arrived in the kingdom as reigning Italian champions but were brushed aside 3-0 by the Coppa Italia holders.
First-half strikes from Federico Dimarco and Edin Dzeko put Inter in control before Lautaro Martinez scored on 77 minutes to seal a comfortable victory.
2019 - Juventus 1 Lazio 3
Juventus had won the Serie A title at a canter, finishing 11 points ahead of second-placed AC Milan and 31 points ahead of Lazio down in eighth.
But on a cold December night in Riyadh, it was the Coppa Italia holders Lazio who reigned supreme.
The Roman club led through Luis Alberto's goal on 16 minutes but were pegged back by Paulo Dybala's effort on the stroke of half time.
Two goals in the second half, courtesy of Senad Lulic and Danilo Cataldi, saw Lazio claim their fifth Super Cup title.
2018 - Juventus 1 AC Milan 0
Juve had been all conquering the previous season, winning the scudetto and the Coppa Italia.
AC Milan were their opponents, having lost to Juve in the previous season's Italian Cup final.
The game was played at King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah, the first international football tournament to be held at the stadium since its inauguration in 2014.
Cristiano Ronaldo settled the match with a goal just past the hour mark to give Juventus a record ninth Italian Supercoppa.
Day 5, Abu Dhabi Test: At a glance
Moment of the day When Dilruwan Perera dismissed Yasir Shah to end Pakistan’s limp resistance, the Sri Lankans charged around the field with the fevered delirium of a side not used to winning. Trouble was, they had not. The delivery was deemed a no ball. Sri Lanka had a nervy wait, but it was merely a stay of execution for the beleaguered hosts.
Stat of the day – 5 Pakistan have lost all 10 wickets on the fifth day of a Test five times since the start of 2016. It is an alarming departure for a side who had apparently erased regular collapses from their resume. “The only thing I can say, it’s not a mitigating excuse at all, but that’s a young batting line up, obviously trying to find their way,” said Mickey Arthur, Pakistan’s coach.
The verdict Test matches in the UAE are known for speeding up on the last two days, but this was extreme. The first two innings of this Test took 11 sessions to complete. The remaining two were done in less than four. The nature of Pakistan’s capitulation at the end showed just how difficult the transition is going to be in the post Misbah-ul-Haq era.
Muslim Council of Elders condemns terrorism on religious sites
The Muslim Council of Elders has strongly condemned the criminal attacks on religious sites in Britain.
It firmly rejected “acts of terrorism, which constitute a flagrant violation of the sanctity of houses of worship”.
“Attacking places of worship is a form of terrorism and extremism that threatens peace and stability within societies,” it said.
The council also warned against the rise of hate speech, racism, extremism and Islamophobia. It urged the international community to join efforts to promote tolerance and peaceful coexistence.
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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
