Mediaset launches dual legal offensive to seize 'Pasapalabra' name and block Antena 3's 'AlaZ' game

A two-pronged assault on Atresmedia's top show

Mediaset has escalated its long-running legal dispute over the Spanish television quiz 'Pasapalabra' with two simultaneous actions. On Thursday, the group announced that Dutch production company MC&F, which owns the rights to the iconic final challenge known as 'El Rosco', would sue Atresmedia over its new replacement game 'AlaZ', citing what it calls "insurmountable similarities." Less than 24 hours later, on Friday 10 July, multiple Spanish outlets reported that Mediaset is also pursuing a claim before the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) to seize ownership of the 'Pasapalabra' trademark. The combined actions target both the format and the name of the programme that dominates the Antena 3 afternoon schedule.

The trademark claim and its Italian roots

According to sources cited by El Mundo and El Confidencial, Mediaset Italia initiated the EUIPO trademark claim four years ago and believes a resolution is imminent. The group argues that the name 'Pasapalabra' originated from the Italian term 'Passaparola', first used on Mediaset Italia's Canale 5 in January 1999. Contestants in the final game would say 'passaparola' to skip a question and pass the turn, and the term eventually became the name of the entire programme.

La marca Pasapalabra será nuestra.

Mediaset contends that a contract between Mediaset Italia and the original rights holder Granada, which later merged into ITV Studios, stipulated that any innovations developed during the Italian adaptation would belong to the producer. The group insists the brand's historical ownership rests with RTI, Mediaset's Italian partner, and that the current EU registration held by ITV Studios should not stand.

Separating the brand from the format

ITV Studios owns the underlying 'Pasapalabra' programme format, derived from the British 'The Alphabet Game', and currently produces it for Antena 3. Mediaset's EUIPO claim targets only the commercial brand name, not the programme itself. If the EUIPO rules in Mediaset's favour, ITV would retain the format but could lose the right to use the name 'Pasapalabra' commercially. Antena 3 would then have to rebrand its flagship quiz, while Mediaset could use the name for the new Telecinco show it is preparing, which will feature the 'El Rosco' final game. The separate EU General Court confirmed ITV's ownership of the 'Pasapalabra' format in 2023 in a ruling that also found Maltese company Good Services had acted in bad faith by registering a mirror trademark.

The 'El Rosco' ruling and the 'AlaZ' lawsuit

In June 2026, Spain's Supreme Court confirmed that Dutch firm MC&F holds the rights to the 'El Rosco' final game, forcing Atresmedia to stop broadcasting it. MC&F subsequently sold the Spanish rights for 'El Rosco' to Mediaset. Antena 3 then introduced a new final challenge called 'AlaZ'. Mediaset now says it has prompted MC&F to sue Atresmedia, arguing that 'AlaZ' is a disguised copy of 'El Rosco' despite claims it was adapted from an unrelated Swiss format. Mediaset has also filed a separate challenge against the 'Pasapalabra' brand itself with the EUIPO.

What comes next

Mediaset says the 'Pasapalabra' trademark claim is "very advanced" and could be resolved favourably within months. The group has indicated its new 'El Rosco'-based programme may launch before the administrative process concludes, initially under a different name. A ruling in Mediaset's favour would mark the second major legal blow for Atresmedia in 2026, stripping it of both the original final game and the name of its highest-rated format. Industry sources consulted by varios outlets note that ITV Studios could appeal an adverse EUIPO decision, further extending a legal saga that has now run for over four years.