Serie A caps floodlight use to help save energy

Italy's Serie A will put a four-hour limit on the use of floodlights in stadiums on match days to help respond to the country's energy crisis, the top-flight league said in a statement on Friday.

The new rule should mean a cut in the use of floodlights by about 25 per cent, Serie A said, at a time when electricity prices have climbed because of tight energy supplies linked to the Russia crisis.

During matches starting between 12:30pm and 6pm local time, lights will be turned on only an hour before the kickoff, down from the previous 90 minutes.

The lights will still go on 90 minutes before kickoff for the later evening games.