Italy - TIM Trophy

About TIM Trophy

TIM Trophy History, Format, Organization, Media Coverage

The TIM trophy is an annual pre-season football tournament played by three Italian football clubs. It is not sanctioned or recognized by official football bodies since the gameplay rules do not correspond to IFAB/FIFA laws of football.

Since its creation in 2001, it has mostly been contested by Juventus, Inter Milan, and AC Milan. In the 2013 and 2014 editions, Inter Milan opted out and was replaced by Sassuolo. The latter also replaced Juventus in the 2015 edition following the return of Inter.

In 2016, Inter Milan opted out of the competition again and was replaced by Celta Vigo. The Spanish side was the first non-Italian team to feature in the tournament.

The teams that participate in the TIM Trophy play three round-robin 45-minute matches. If any game ends in a draw, it is decided by a penalty shoot-out. Three points are awarded for a victory during regular play, with no points going to the loser. If the match is decided via penalties, the winner is awarded two points and the loser, one.

The team with the most points in the final standings is crowned the winner of the TIM Trophy. In 2001, AC Milan won the first edition of the tournament. Juventus and Inter Milan finished second and third, respectively.