What is the Kings League, Piqué's 7-a-side soccer tournament?

David Adán KINGS LEAGUE: All you need to know about Gerard Piqué's innovative 7-a-side league THE LOWDOWN

[{"selector":"#anim-56c299c1-6169-4ae4-b0c0-0bc9f92b6965","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 172.53844%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b964cfd0-acac-4f8a-a15b-fc8e279a16c5 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(47.61045629953496%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":6000,"fill":"both"}] Created by Gerard Piqué, the Kings League is a new competition that has been an internet sensation. It combines 7-a-side soccer with entertainment.

[{"selector":"#anim-e2ca4a72-ee22-4f00-9418-33c471d92bdb","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 195.30265%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-936ccd19-663f-4577-93c9-8a9853dc9ab4 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(33.95681744509313%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":6000,"fill":"both"}] Two soccer legends are among the presidents who head up each of the league’s 12 teams, together with 10 Spanish-language internet stars.

[{"selector":"#anim-c118739d-c016-4eab-b8f2-d881b9b21cde","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 170.91239%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-60df602e-10e8-4be5-b377-82dd3a35b2cd [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(6.02605836508965%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":6000,"fill":"both"}] The two soccer greats are Iker Casillas and Sergio Agüero. All 12 presidents have created their team, and have chosen its name and logo.

[{"selector":"#anim-91b34880-a593-41e4-b8af-dad5a413244a","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 172.53844%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-205f1ead-5f02-4b1e-bf35-78cacd09539f [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-5.149501388978474%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":6000,"fill":"both"}] And who actually plays? Well, at the end of December, the Kings League held a draft in which each team picked 10 squad members.

[{"selector":"#anim-8f054791-037a-4101-b12e-e1c5fd62bdf7","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 176.60347%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2955fd17-f92b-4b52-b6c7-a91808d08c4f [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0, 7.760782355151471e-15%, 0)","translate3d(0, 0%, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":6000,"fill":"both"}] The players had come through a series of trials to make it into the final draft. Most play in the top two tiers of Catalan regional soccer.

[{"selector":"#anim-ad47e620-2c16-4f81-8637-e557509a463e","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 170.91239%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-3fe17de0-0054-4758-90ef-688d6b24c820 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-4.69798630229035%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":6000,"fill":"both"}] The Kings League’s rules are highly innovative, and are proving successful. For example, there are no draws. If a game ends level, it goes to penalties.

[{"selector":"#anim-b22b675f-ee3b-43c6-a4c8-ce01e6efd77e","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 174.16443%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-33d28fc6-69da-4b3b-91cb-ffd81050e405 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0, 0.19455283140040053%, 0)","translate3d(0, 0%, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":6000,"fill":"both"}] And they’re not regular spot-kicks. As used to be the case in MLS, players dribble towards goal from the centre spot, before shooting.

[{"selector":"#anim-1882625c-a4cb-4c3c-a9e0-da75f9727198","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 195.30265%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2457e068-b6f1-44e6-a9de-843f102204fa [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-7.943924978450219%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":6000,"fill":"both"}] Games last for 40 minutes, there are unlimited subs, and if a player is booked he’s sin-binned for two minutes. If he sees red, he's off for five.

[{"selector":"#anim-ec9fc174-f94c-4326-a0de-110e1c3cc6ac","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 196.92869%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-fa278a7e-c79b-4f69-87bd-a27b7b556923 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(5.882352673472296%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":6000,"fill":"both"}] The most eye-catching innovation, though, is the wild-card rule. Once a game, presidents pick from a series of cards that offer in-play advantages.

[{"selector":"#anim-bf4afe92-52c2-4197-8563-060cd1cea4ac","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 172.53844%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-bbfba143-87fc-4d88-a71e-7ae5beda427e [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(56.830689499693065%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":8000,"fill":"both"}] For example, a wild card can win a team a penalty; make goals count double or even triple; and see an opponent sin-binned…

[{"selector":"#anim-8632161b-561c-4319-b5a2-48e99cc3601e","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 195.30265%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5dfcfb4d-ba19-4b22-b4db-20eb589b16f9 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(4.545454269638129%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":6000,"fill":"both"}] On top of their core squad of draft picks, sides can choose two extra team members: Players 11 and 12. They can be former soccer stars, YouTubers…

[{"selector":"#anim-8217560b-c886-484b-94bf-17f4ae996f3a","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 174.16443%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-200e142f-971c-47a5-a5ef-28692f4dd36b [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0, 7.760782355151471e-15%, 0)","translate3d(0, 0%, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":6000,"fill":"both"}] Among the ex-players that teams have signed up are Javier Saviola and Joan Capdevila. Player 11 joins for the season; Player 12 changes each week.

[{"selector":"#anim-30b04f89-2dc2-4f33-bf8f-a1b30e29592f","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 195.30265%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-beccf396-3025-47cd-9be7-c5d5812756d9 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(7.943924978450225%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":6000,"fill":"both"}] After two games, YouTuber DjMariio’s Ultimate Móstoles top the table ahead of 1K (Casillas), Saiyans (Grefg) and Kunisports (Agüero).

[{"selector":"#anim-afc1e559-1e5e-4ced-9996-73a3d7085ed6","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 170.91239%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6eeec354-5b7a-432f-ab2f-113981e29e3f [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(25.89213014739945%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":6000,"fill":"both"}] Matchday three is to be played on Sunday. Among the stand-out games is the clash between Kunisports and streamer Ibai Llanos’ team, Porcinos.

[{"selector":"#anim-d9434a43-06d8-4d8c-b0fa-729301883cd4","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 170.91239%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8c48c4cd-5cf0-48c0-9b22-a66101a40616 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(4.69798630229035%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":6000,"fill":"both"}] On average, over 300,000 viewers have tuned in to watch the games. The Kings League puts on quite a show. You can watch it live on Twitch!