Tennis stars in Rome kick off big summer at Sky’s House of Sports
In Rome, tennis champions kick off the big summer in the House of Sport. The Internazionali BNL d’Italia kicks off tomorrow, the first leg of five months of nonstop sports on Sky and streaming on NOW. More than 90 appointments and more than 6,800 live hours that will accompany the sports journey of fans and enthusiasts. The absolute protagonist is tennis, which inaugurates Sky Sport’s summer with the most anticipated event on the courts of the Foro Italico: 13 days of live challenges and one match a day of the men’s tournament also live in the air on TV8. And after Rome, more than 40 tournaments from the ATP and WTA Tour will be on stage between May and September, with exclusive Wimbledon in June and the US Open in August. All this at the golden moment of Italian sports, with Jannik Sinner becoming in Madrid the first tennis player in history to win 5 consecutive Masters 1000s, in a match that garnered 1 million 244 thousand viewers and 12.7% share*. From one record to another, with Kimi Antonelli winning his third GP in a row in Miami yesterday, a triumph witnessed by 1 million 460 thousand viewers with 9.1% share*.
It’s just the beginning of an extraordinary summer season, with as many as 4 European Championships and a World Championship: opening the program are the European Swimming Championships, in Paris from July 31 to August 16, in an edition celebrating the event’s centenary. From Aug. 10 to 16, the spotlight will be on the European Athletics Championships in Birmingham, for the first time in history hosted in the United Kingdom: more than 1,500 athletes from more than 50 nations will give life to a week of the highest level.
Anticipation is also growing for continental volleyball: the women’s European Championships, from Aug. 21 to Sept. 6, will run through Azerbaijan, Czechia, Sweden and Turkey, followed by the men’s, from Sept. 10 to 26, hosted by Italy, Bulgaria, Finland, and Romania.
Space is also given to basketball: with the historic return of the Italian women’s national team to the World Cup, from Sept. 4 to 13 in Germany, after a 32-year absence. The men’s national team will also return to the field in the summer for two 2027 World Cup qualifying matches. The Azzurri will be engaged on July 2 in Iceland and on July 5 at home with Lithuania in the last matches of the first phase.
Football is also in the spotlight, with the final rush of the season. Starting tomorrow, it’s back on the pitch for the European Cup semifinals that will define the teams in the three finals of the UEFA Champions League (May 30, Budapest), UEFA Europa League (May 20, Istanbul) and UEFA Conference League (May 27, Leipzig). From final to final, with the UEFA Super Cup on Aug. 12 in Salzburg, Austria, a Sky-signed exclusive. In parallel, the last days of national and international leagues: on May 16 in Bundesliga and Ligue 1, while on May 24 the last round of Serie A and the grand finale of the Premier League, not forgetting in June the decisive challenges in Serie C Sky Wifi, with playoffs and playouts, and in Serie BKT, of which Sky will broadcast the playoff finals on May 24 and 29, also free-to-air on TV8.
Complementing an already very rich offer will be European volleyball, starring in a long sequence of unmissable events, with extraordinary coverage following the two blue teams. Scheduled for May are the men’s CEV Champions League Final Four, on the 16th and 17th in Turin, anticipating the international test matches and tournaments that will engage the women’s and men’s national teams between May and August. Also not to be missed is the spectacle of Beach Volleyball, with all the finals of the Italian Gold Championship. In June, it will also be time to get in the pool with the Final 4 of the Water Polo Champions League, scheduled from 11 to 13 in Malta, with Pro Recco in the field. In July, from July 4 to 18, the Italian national rugby team will be the protagonist, engaged in the brand new Rugby Nations Championship with challenges against Japan, New Zealand and Australia.
Great excitement also with motors, among the protagonists of the summer: a very high intensity calendar with as many as 21 Grand Prix between Formula 1 and MotoGP and all the World Superbike rounds, including the Italian stages of Mugello, Monza and Misano.
In basketball, not only the national teams on the parquet, but also the decisive moments of the current season: from the Euroleague Final Four to the Finals of Serie A – LBA, up to the spectacle of the NBA Playoffs.
There will also be no shortage of international track and field meetings, up to the Diamond League finals in Brussels in September. Also in the spotlight will be the main world golf events, from the PGA Championship to the prestigious The Open Championship.
To complete the offer, the return of Calciomercato – L’Originale in its summer version, along with the new Sky Sport Original Productions, including the docu-series on the 50th anniversary of Torino’s Scudetto in 1976.
All Sky summer sporting events will also have complete coverage on Sky Sport 24 and on the skysport.it website, with Sky Sport Insider and dedicated newsletters. Constant updates also on Sky Sport’s official social accounts: Instagram, Facebook, X, YouTube, Tik Tok and WhatsApp, to live every moment in real time.
* Data includes big screen and Sky Go viewings
Sky’s TENNIS: AN EXTRAORDINARY CALENDAR OF NON STOP EVENTS
Great tennis returns to Rome from May 5 to 17 with the spectacle of the Internazionali BNL d’Italia, on Sky and streaming on NOW. The 83rd edition kicks off, with more than 500 hours of live programming, including matches, dedicated studios and in-depth specials.
Unprecedented coverage. For the 2026 edition of the Internazionali d’Italia, Sky Sport will provide the most extensive editorial coverage ever for the Roman tournament. The Foro Italico will be the protagonist of an extraordinary programming that will be able to count up to 6 entirely dedicated channels, starting with Sky Sport Tennis, able to follow every court and every key moment. A total and immersive vision that will allow fans to experience the tournament in its entirety, enhancing not only the great matches of the Central, but also the most significant challenges on the secondary courts.
For the first time, the programming of the Rome tournament will be enriched by Diretta Tennis, every day from Wednesday, May 6 to Monday, May 11, a channel designed to accompany the viewer throughout the day, interweaving matches, updates and live moments from all the courts of the Foro Italico. A continuous and engaging narrative, which will make it possible not to miss a single decisive exchange, always keeping the thread of the most important events. Making the viewing experience even more complete and customizable will be, as always, Sky Sport Plus, the interactive option that will allow viewers to move in complete autonomy from one court to another, choosing in real time which match to follow. An editorial and production commitment that fits into a context of strong growth in audience interest: these first months of the ATP tournament tennis season have shown an increase of more than 25 percent year-on-year.
The faces and voices of tennis on Sky. Framing, guiding and key to the entire event will be Sky Tennis Show, the flagship studio that will accompany each day of competition reporting and commenting on everything that happens in Rome. The program will be hosted by Eleonora Cottarelli and Alessandro Lupi, with the fixed presence in the studio of Ivan Ljubicic and the participation of Flavia Pennetta, Renzo Furlan and other Sky Sport talent.
A storytelling made possible also thanks to the contribution of the team of correspondents at the Foro Italico, composed of Stefano Meloccaro, Angelo Mangiante, Dalila Setti, Giorgia Mecca and Michela Curcio and the great team of journalists and filmmakers on the court and in the editorial office.
The program will offer timely analysis, technical insights, exclusive interviews and a privileged look at what happens on and off the court, restoring to the audience the unique atmosphere of the Internazionali BNL d’Italia.
Special appointment, for this edition, with Ljubo’s Gli Internazionali: Ivan Ljubicic’s daily account and analysis of the tournament in the Capital. The vodcast will be available from the early morning hours on skysport.co.uk and Sky Sport’s YouTube channel, as well as a podcast version on all major platforms. A top-notch team of commentators and talent will be on the court: great former champions and authoritative voices of Italian and international tennis will take turns at the microphone and in the studio, including Paolo Bertolucci, Flavia Pennetta, Ivan Ljubicic, Renzo Furlan, Laura Golarsa, Raffaella Reggi, Barbara Rossi, Stefano Pescosolido, Fabio Colangelo, Nicolò Cotto and Marco Crugnola.
The commentary team for the Internazionali BNL d’Italia, which also expands to narrate “Direct Tennis,” will consist of Elena Pero, Luca Boschetto, Pietro Nicolodi, Federico Ferrero, Dario Massara, Alessandro Sugoni, Riccardo Bisti, Lorenzo Cazzaniga, Nicolò Ramella, Gaia Brunelli, Peppe Di Giovanni, Elia Faggion, Calogero Destro, Matteo Sfolcini and Filippo Salmini.
Editorial coordination will be entrusted to tennis group manager Marco Caineri and Giampaolo Iurilli, with Matteo Renzoni; in the editorial team Barbara Grassi, Michela Curcio and Ettore Mazzara.
Results, highlights, live blogs and real-time updates will be available on skysport.it and on the official social channels @SkySport, including the Sky Sport Tennis Instagram account.
At the same time as live coverage, space will also be given to editorial content celebrating the history and protagonists of tennis. Don’t miss Tennis Heroes – Panatta, available on demand, the new episode of the series dedicated to 1976, the magic year, fifty years after his victory at the Internazionali d’Italia, Roland Garros and Davis Cup. With him Paolo Bertolucci, a companion of an unrepeatable era, for a tale that combines past and present in the history of one of the most iconic tournaments in world tennis and that ideally fits into the unique atmosphere of the Foro Italico.
Over the Internazionali. Great tennis on Sky Sport plays all year round: after the Internazionali d’Italia, more than 40 tournaments, including men’s and women’s, for more than 4 thousand hours of live tennis. The ATP Tour with all the ATP 250 tournaments, the ATP 500 in Hamburg (May 17-23), the ATP 500 at Queen’s and Halle (June 15-21), the Wimbledon men’s tournament (June 29-July 12), the ATP 500 in Washington (July 27-August 2), the Montreal (August 2-13) and Cincinnati (August 13-23) Masters 1000 tournaments, until the men’s US Open (August 31-September 13). On the WTA Tour it will be possible to attend, in addition to the WTA 250 tournaments, the WTA 500 in Strasbourg (May 17-23), the WTA 500 at Queen’s (June 8-14), the WTA 500 in Berlin (June 15-21), the WTA 500 in Bad Homburg (June 21-27), the Wimbledon women’s tournament (June 29-July 12), the WTA 500 in Washington (July 27-Aug. 2), the WTA 1000 in Toronto (Aug. 2-13), the WTA 1000 in Cincinnati (Aug. 13-23), the WTA 500 in Monterrey (Aug. 23-29), and closing with the U.S. Women’s Open (Aug. 30-Sept. 13) and the WTA 500 in Guadalajara (Sept. 14-20).
On Sky Sport Tennis will also continue the series of Sky Tennis Club appointments, which in each episode, thanks to top-level guests, will analyze issues revolving around the world of tennis, from current events to technique. Stories and analysis also with Circoletto Rosso, Sky Sport Insider’s newsletter entirely dedicated to tennis and edited by Angelo Carotenuto.
THE GREAT ITALIAN SUMMER IN THE HOUSE OF SPORT
It will be a tricolor summer for Sky’s House of Sport with many international appointments full of Italian athletes called to be protagonists in their respective disciplines.
4 European Championships and a World Championship. Among the stars of Sky Sport’s summer will be the European Swimming Championships in Paris. The event will kick off on July 31 with artistic swimming and diving trials at the Olympic Aquatic Centre. From August 4, the scene will shift to the Seine River, the scene of open water swimming competitions. This will be followed by spectacular diving competitions from great heights along the Parisian river. The grand finale is scheduled for Aug. 10-16, when the open water swimming competitions will award the last continental titles. Sky Sports will accompany each stage of the event with comprehensive editorial coverage. Reporting on the competitions will be handled by Riccardo Re and Cristina Chiuso, on the spot for lap swimming; Luigi Vaccariello and Arianna Bridi for open water swimming; Francesca Zambon and Costanza Fiorentini for artistic swimming; Niccolò Omini and Francesca Dallapè for diving commentary; and Andrea Voria and Tommaso Rinaldi for the high diving competitions. Spotlight on all the stars of the Italian national team: from Thomas Ceccon to Simone Cerasuolo, via Gregorio Paltrinieri, Benedetta Pilato, Simona Quadarella and Sara Curtis. In studio Luca Dotto for analysis, insights and technical readings of the races.
Subsequently, it will be the turn of the European Athletics Championships, scheduled from Monday, Aug. 10 to Sunday, Aug. 16. The 27th edition will be held for the first time in the United Kingdom, in Birmingham. Competitions will be held at Alexander Stadium, the heart of the event, which will host more than 1,500 athletes from more than 50 countries for a week of high-profile challenges. The schedule, spread over seven days, will include all the major Olympic disciplines. Some of the road events, such as the marathon and march races over the half-marathon and marathon distances, will take place in the city center instead. Italy presents itself with a highly competitive team. Among the most anticipated protagonists: Marcell Jacobs, Gianmarco Tamberi, Nadia Battocletti, Mattia Furlani, Larissa Iapichino, Andy Diaz, Antonella Palmisano, Filippo Tortu, Leonardo Fabbri, Zaynab Dosso and Emmanuel Doualla. For the occasion, Sky Sport will field a true super team never seen before on commentary, with the voices of Nicola Roggero and Stefano Baldini, joined by another star, Franco Bragagna. So, after the Milan-Cortina Olympic Games, recounted in the Sky Sport 24 studio, one of the most loved and appreciated journalists by Italian fans enters Sky’s House of Sport on a continuous basis and not just for one event. Federica Frola will be the correspondent in Birmingham and will conduct the studios from the spot. Given the simultaneity of the two European Championships in swimming and athletics, Sara Benci will lead a super studio that will combine the two major events between Birmingham and Paris at the end of the day, for one big story.
Next will be the time of the Women’s European Volleyball Championships, scheduled from August 21 to September 6. The national team led by coach Julio Velasco will make its debut in Gothenburg, Sweden, where it will face Croatia. The Italian team, captained by Anna Danesi, is included in Pool D and will play the other challenges in the first phase against Montenegro, Sweden, Slovakia and France.
The knockout phase will kick off with the round of 16, set for Aug. 30-31 in Czechia and Aug. 31-Sept. 1 in Turkey. The quarterfinals will be held Sept. 2 in the Czech Republic and Sept. 3 in Turkey, which will also host the semifinals and finals, scheduled for Sept. 5 and 6 in Istanbul.
Next up, the men’s European Volleyball Championships: for the national team of Fefè De Giorgi and captain Simone Giannelli, the opener is set for Sept. 10 against Sweden in Piazza del Plebiscito in Naples. The Azzurri will then continue the tournament in Modena, where they will face the other four Pool A matches against Greece, Slovakia, Czechia and Slovenia. The first part of the knockout phase will be played Sept. 19 and 20 in Sofia, Bulgaria, and Sept. 20 and 21 in Turin, Italy. The quarterfinals will follow on Sept. 22 in Bulgaria and Sept. 23 in Turin. The path to the title will end at the new Arena Milano in the Santa Giulia district, site of the semifinals and finals, scheduled for Sept. 25 and 26. For both events, Sky Sport will ensure constant editorial coverage, thanks to the presence of correspondents who will closely follow the path of the national teams, with continuous updates on results, in-depth reports, exclusive interviews and more. Also lined up is the entire Sky editorial team composed of Federica Lodi, Roberto Prini, Stefano Locatelli, Rudy Palermo, Giovanni Cristiano, Rachele Sangiuliano, Francesca Piccinini and Andrea Zorzi.
Completing the summer of international appointments is basketball with the Women’s World Cup, September 4-13 in Berlin, between the Berlin Arena and the Max-Schmeling-Halle. A historic event for Italy, which returns to the World Cup after 32 years. The Azzurre, bronze medalists at the last European Championships, earned a pass in the qualifying tournament in Puerto Rico and will be led by the talented Cecilia Zandalasini. Also in the summer, the men’s national basketball team will return to the court for two decisive matches in the 2027 World Cup qualifiers: July 2 in Iceland and July 5 in Italy against Lithuania. These two matches will be the last of the first phase of qualification.
Sky Sport Home of blue volleyball. Volleyball will enjoy extraordinary editorial coverage in Sky’s House of Blue Volleyball: it will get into full swing right in May with the Final Four of the men’s CEV Champions League, scheduled for 16 and 17 at the Inalpi Arena in Turin. It will start on Saturday 16 with the two semifinals, while on Sunday 17 the final that will award the trophy will be staged. Among the protagonists also an Italian team: Perugia, reigning European and world champions, which will face the PGE Projekt Warsaw Poles on Saturday to gain access to the final act.
Also in May, on the 14th and 15th, the women’s national team will be engaged in Test Matches against France between Biella and Novara, before moving to Genoa from the 22nd to the 24th for the FIPAV Cup Women Elite, an international tournament that will see the participation of Poland, Serbia and Turkey. Closing out the month will be the men’s national team, which will inaugurate its summer journey with international friendlies against Belgium and Turkey, scheduled in Verona and Bergamo on May 30 and 31, respectively.
The Azzurri’s journey will then continue on Saturday, July 5, in Trento with a challenge to Argentina and will conclude with a Test Match against Cuba in Reggio Calabria on August 26. It will then be the turn of the FIPAV Cup Men Elite in Messina, with the prestigious challenges against Cuba and Brazil on August 28 and 30. Great attention will also be paid to the future of Italian volleyball, with the Under 18 Men’s National Team on stage at the European Championships in July in Porto San Giorgio. The semifinal on July 17 and the final on July 18 will be broadcast on Sky Sports. Completing the summer volleyball offer is also Beach Volleyball with the Italian Gold Championship: Sky Sport will follow all the women’s and men’s finals, from the stages of Termoli (June 21), Marina di Modica (July 12), Montesilvano (August 2) and Caorle (September 6). Throughout the summer, until the European Championships, the two blue teams will be followed daily by Sky’s correspondents, with special dedicated spaces also on Sky Sport 24.
Motors always on. Sky Sport’s summer once again promises to be packed with motorsport events, with as many as 21 Grand Prix between Formula 1 and MotoGP, and many other two- and four-wheel events. The F1 World Championship will continue with a succession of stages with timeless appeal, starting with the weekend in Canada (May 22-24), and then entering the Principality of Monaco (June 5-7). The season will continue with Barcelona (June 12-14), before reaching the fast corners of Austria (June 26-28) and then the iconic atmosphere of Silverstone for the British GP (July 3-5). There will be no shortage of historic dates such as Belgium (July 17-19), Hungary (July 24-26), the Netherlands (Aug. 21-23), until the highly anticipated return to Monza (Sept. 4-6). The month will then close with the second Spanish stage, the super new event of the season: the Madring Grand Prix in Madrid (Sept. 11-13). Telecasts entrusted to the voice of Carlo Vanzini, in the commentary booth with Marc Gené and Roberto Chinchero. Technical analysis with Ivan Capelli, Matteo Bobbi and Vicky Piria, with correspondent Mara Sangiorgio and Davide Camicioli alternating between studio and track
MotoGP will also accompany fans along an intense and adrenaline-filled season. It will start in France (May 8-10), then continue with the stage in Catalunya (May 15-17). The allure of Mugello (May 29-31) is inevitable, followed by the Hungarian Grand Prix (June 5-7) and the Czech Republic Grand Prix (June 19-21). Late June will see racing in the Netherlands (June 26-28), before reaching Germany (July 10-12) and the United Kingdom (Aug. 7-9). The excitement will continue with Aragon (Aug. 28-30), then the traditional Misano (Sept. 11-13) and finally Austria (Sept. 18-20). Guido Meda and Mauro Sanchini will accompany all the summer GPs, with Vera Spadini conducting the in-depth reports. Sandro Donato Grosso and Giovanni Zamagni will be the on-track insiders. Rosario Triolo and Mattia Pasini will be in charge of Moto2 and Moto3 commentary.
The motorsport story continues beyond, with Superbike ready to provide entertainment through five rounds on the calendar, including the highly anticipated Italian round at Misano, scheduled for June 25-27. The gaze will then move overseas to follow the IndyCar season, with twelve decisive races and the symbolic event of the year: the 110th edition of the Indianapolis 500, scheduled for May 24.
Not forgetting the WRC world championship, which will run through the summer with stages in Portugal and Japan in May, then continue through Greece, Estonia, Finland, Paraguay and Chile until September, and the WEC, with the exciting challenges that will see Ferrari defend the titles it won in 2025.
Much more in the summer of Sky Sports. From motors to basketball. Space is given to the Italian one with the start of the decisive phase of the LBA A Series: the playoffs will start on the weekend of Saturday, May 16 and Sunday, May 17, with Game 1 of the quarterfinals. The first round will end by May 26, while the semifinals will kick off between May 29 and 30 and may run until June 8. Closing out the season, from Thursday, June 11, are the LBA Finals Unipol 2026, with the finals series and eventual Game 5 on Sunday, June 21. The NBA playoffs also come into full swing in May, with the stars of American basketball racing toward the Finals. In Europe, on the other hand, the focus will be all on the Euroleague Final Four, staged in Athens May 22-24, three decisive days to award the continental title.
In June, the water polo Champions League Final Four will be held June 11-13 in Malta, in the setting of the National Pool Complex in Tal-Qroqq. The semifinals will be played on June 11, while the finals are scheduled for Saturday, June 13. Among the main favorites is Pro Recco, capable of winning the trophy 11 times in its history, with great expectations also for the other Italian representative: AN Brescia. Also on the technical commentary will be Sandro Campagna, CT of the Italian men’s national team, who will offer analysis and tactical keys to understanding.
Also not to be missed are the Premier Padel tournaments, with the Rome Major scheduled for June 1-7, and the continuous coverage of American sports, with two MLB games a week throughout the regular season, until the playoff race leading to the World Series in September.
In July, the spotlight will be on this year’s new addition: the Rugby Nations Championship. The new tournament will feature the Six Nations teams, including Italy, the four Rugby Championship teams, Argentina, Australia New Zealand and South Africa, as well as Japan and Fiji.
The first three rounds will take place between July 4 and 18. The Azzurri will make their debut on Saturday 4 in Tokyo against Japan at Chichibunomiya Stadium. The second challenge will be against New Zealand on Saturday 11 in Wellington at Sky Stadium. The summer triptych will then close in Perth, on Saturday 18, with the away match against Australia at HBF Park.
In the House of Sport great attention will also be paid to athletics with the best of international meetings: from the stages of the prestigious Wanda Diamond League to the finals in Brussels on September 4-5, but also the “gold” stages of the World Athletics Continental Tour.
And again golf, with the dedicated Sky Sport Golf channel broadcasting the DP World Tour tournaments in addition to the Majors, with the PGA Championship (May 14-17) and the prestigious The Open Championship (July 17-20), staged in Southport, England.
The SKY FOOTBALL SEASON FINAL
The football season finale gets into full swing, with the decisive matches of the European Cups and the final stages of the national championships. It begins tomorrow, May 5, with the match between Arsenal and Atlético Madrid, live from 9 p.m. on Sky Sport Uno and Sky Sport 4K: up for grabs is access to the UEFA Champions League final, scheduled for Saturday, May 30, for the first time at 6 p.m., at the Puskás Aréna in Budapest. Sky Sport will accompany the event with comprehensive editorial coverage from the days leading up to it, thanks to correspondents in the city and at the stadium and the pre- and post-match studios of the Sky Champions Show hosted by Federica Masolin.
Thursday, May 7, will instead be the turn of the UEFA Europa League and UEFA Conference League, with the return semifinals live at 9 p.m. on Sky Sport channels. Decisive challenges that will lead to finals in Istanbul, Wednesday, May 20 for the Europa League, and Leipzig, Wednesday, May 27 for the Conference League. The winners of the Champions League and Europa League will face each other in the UEFA Super Cup on Wednesday, August 12, at the Stadion Salzburg in Salzburg, Austria, the first act of the 2026/2027 European season.
It is also time for verdicts in the major domestic and international leagues: on May 24 the Serie A Enilive championship will come to a close, of which Sky broadcasts 3 out of 10 matches in co-exclusive per day. The Premier League will also conclude on the same date with the heated summit clash. A week earlier, on May 16, Bundesliga and Ligue 1 will officially end instead. The Sky Wifi C Series will continue with the knockout phase, play offs and play outs, until the promotion finals on June 2 and 7. Space will also be given to Serie BKT of which Sky Sports will broadcast the playoff finals-also free to air on TV8-that will determine the last team promoted to Serie A Enilive. The first leg final is scheduled for Sunday, May 24, while the return leg will be played on Friday, May 29. Finally, On May 24 at 6 p.m., the Coppa Italia women’s Frecciarossa will be awarded: competing for the trophy will be Juventus and Roma, at the Romeo Menti stadium in Vicenza.
