A warm round of applause accompanied the emotional video that opened the ceremony and the subsequent inauguration of the new digital home of Italian football. Today, in Rome, in the splendid setting of the Lanterna di Fuksas  'Vivo Azzurro TV', was presented, the brand-new OTT platform of the FIGC, which will offer free original, exclusive content from the Italian national football teams. It will do so alongside a wide range of insights dedicated to youth football, social projects, paralympic activities, institutional initiatives, the role of referees, technical training, and sports education. In the event hosted by Pierluigi Pardo and Barbara Cirillo, and under the watchful eyes of FIGC president Gabriele Gravina, national team coaches Luciano Spalletti and Andrea Soncin, as well as 1982 World Cup champion Marco Tardelli, the platform's available content was presented.

GRAVINA. "For the FIGC and millions of fans worldwide, this is a historic day", declared FIGC President Gabriele Gravina, "because with the creation of 'Vivo Azzurro TV,' football can truly be seen and experienced in a new way, enhancing its extraordinary multidimensionality and its ease in communicating, telling stories, and thus engaging fans and enthusiasts in a cross-cutting manner. The Azzurri and Paralympic football in the same schedule, the value-based projects for young people and women's football side by side, this is the concrete meaning of our mission, which is now visible on a single digital platform. With the path we have embarked on thanks to the new development plan of the Federation, we cultivate the ambition to represent a benchmark model, not only for our world but also for sports in general".

SPALLETTI. On stage, Luciano Spalletti underlined: "The ball draws lines that influence destinies and stories. Vivo Azzurro TV could be a window into the past from which to recreate something and at the same time allow us to enter the sphere of the National teams, getting to know internal dynamics, such as those of the dressing rooms. Around the world of football, there is always more, and this channel tells us that clearly." The coach then added, looking ahead to Euro 2024: "We are responsible for people's happiness. If you asked me what the Serie A trophy won with Napoli looks like, I wouldn't know how to describe it, but I could paint the faces of all the Napoli fans I met that day. We want to convey a sense of belonging to the Azzurri shirt and Italian identity, we need to show those cheering from home that we want to rise to the occasion. We will do this by trying to keep one foot in the past, but adding something extra, like a touch of interactivity, exactly as Vivo Azzurro TV will do."

SONCIN. The Women's National Team coach Andrea Soncin also took the stage. "The opportunity to have a dedicated area within Vivo Azzurro TV is in line with the policy that the Federation is pursuing. The right reward for the girls and the passion they put in every day". Looking to Euro 2025, Soncin added, "It's important to advance values and results hand in hand. We have a great responsibility, and this must be a driving force to achieve the European Championship. We are working towards our goal. I never like to speak solely of women's football, but of football, which is played by girls who have dreams, incredible passion, making great sacrifices, and always put the person before the professional. The girls have achieved important results in terms of protection and sports growth. Their legacy needs to be carried forward, and it is our duty to bring them out even more."

CONTENTS. Right from the start, at the forefront of documenting the preparation of the Azzurri for EURO 2024, 'Vivo Azzurro TV' is a project supported by the UEFA HatTrick V financing program (Investment Projects) and has a clear dual objective. Firstly, to further strengthen the bond between Italians and the National football teams, by narrating more directly the passion of the men and women in the Azzurri jersey. Secondly, to promote the values of football through the many initiatives, often little known, that contribute to social inclusion, enhance diversity by promoting the potential of each individual and foster the complete development of young people. On the platform, it will be possible to enter the retreats of the Azzurri and the Azzurre through exclusive images, experience the preparation for international challenges or retrace the history of Azzurri triumphs, entrusted to the narration of the protagonists. Interviews have already been conducted with Fabio Cannavaro (World Cup 2006), Roberto Mancini (Euro 2020), and Marco Tardelli (World Cup 1982), while in the coming weeks, interviews with former coaches Marcello Lippi, Antonio Conte, and Dino Zoff will be available. To enrich the platform, there will also be a series of live events: starting from the matches of the Youth, Futsal, and Beach Soccer National teams, both male and female, as well as a series of specials on the dreams and ambitions of young players of the National teams, produced by the video maker team of 'Vivo Azzurro TV'. Among the contents, there are also various features on the activities promoted by the FIGC, the Youth and School Sector, the Paralympic and Experimental Football Division, and summaries of institutional events, starting from the annual ceremony of the Italian Football Hall of Fame.

THE PLATFORM. Thanks to the use of OTT 2.0 technology, the platform enables the simultaneous distribution of digital content on computers, mobile devices, and Smart TVs, as well as on major operating systems (Android, iOS, Android TV/Google TV, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Samsung Tizen, LG WebOS, Roku, Vewd, and Set Top Box). The solution also ensures mirroring functionality, both on Chromecast and AirPlay, for versatile and uninterrupted viewing. The possibility of accessing content in Italian and English (dubbed and subtitled) is provided, to gradually expand support for other languages. Interactivity, multi-device access, multilingual functionality, and the presence, over time, of thousands of contents contribute to creating a 360° relationship between FIGC and its audience through a completely free application. The VivoAzzurroTV App will be available soon on major digital marketplaces (iOS, Android). Its Web version can be accessed at the website www.vivoazzurrotv.it.

MEDIA COMPANY. The OTT channel of the Italian Football Federation, 'Vivo Azzurro TV', completed a journey initiated over the last 4 years through the establishment of a veritable media company, which has conceived, produced, and distributed a series of content across various channels, web, social media, and television, with a different approach for each platform. From the video content created for the social profiles of the National teams, which now boast over 16 million followers, since 2022 FIGC has started producing matches of the Youth National teams, Futsal, and Beach Soccer in-house, live on the website figc.it and on the FIGC YouTube channel. 27 matches in 2022 and 44 in 2023, with an audience of approximately 1,500,000 live viewers. Additionally, some entertainment formats have been launched, such as 'Vivo Azzurro Live' and 'Casa Azzurri Live', live broadcasts on social media profiles accompanying the pre-match and National team matches, with numerous guests from the football and entertainment world on the sidelines and in the studio inside 'Casa Azzurri'. Since last year, 'Azzurri Live' has been added, the live program from the Centro Technico Federale, with two players interacting with users each time. Not to forget the 'Open Var' project, the broadcast produced by FIGC, AIA, and DAZN, in collaboration with Serie A, which since last season narrates how referees make decisions on the main incidents of the day, through the referees' audio and the images analyzed at Var. These broadcasts, specials, live shows, and past insights will also enrich the library of content available on 'Vivo Azzurro TV'.