If you’re a soccer fan and you’re planning a visit to Italy, you may want to see a live soccer game in Italy. After all, Italy has some of the world’s best teams and most passionate fans. Attending an Italy soccer game gives you a glimpse into an important part of Italian culture and one of Italy’s largest industries, and it’s something any fan should try to do on a visit to bella Italia.
But, first things first – in Italy, the sport is called calcio – you won’t hear anyone calling it ‘soccer,’ or even ‘football’ or ‘futbol,’ like you hear in other countries around the world. And a ‘game’ or ‘match’ is a partita. So, instead of going to a soccer game in Italy, you’re going to a partita di calcio.
I’ve written this post in collaboration with a professional soccer agent who has over 20 years of experience in the sport.
You’ll learn about:
- The Italian Serie A soccer teams and their schedules
- How to buy tickets to a professional soccer league game in Italy
- What to bring to the stadium in Italy (and what to leave home)
- How to enter the stadium
- What to wear to a soccer game in Italy
- Food and drink options at Italian soccer stadiums
- Bringing kids to a soccer game in Italy
- Plus helpful tips to make it a fun, enjoyable time
Good To Know: We’ll focus on Serie A, the top professional level in Italy (like the English Premier League or Spain’s La Liga). Italy also has professional leagues Serie B, Serie C. Serie D is non-professional, but still has high-level players and great matches.
Italian Serie A Soccer Teams (2022-2023)
There are 20 Serie A teams located throughout Italy.
| Team | Location | Stadium | New in 2022/2023? |
| Atalanta | Bergamo | Stadio Atleti Azzurri d’Italia | |
| Bologna | Bologna | Stadio Renato dall’Ara | |
| Cremonese | Cremona | Stadio Giovanni Zini | Yes, Serie B runner up |
| Empoli | Empoli | Stadio Carlo Castellani | |
| Fiorentina | Florence | Stadio Artemio Franchi | |
| Hellas Verona | Verona | Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi | |
| Inter Milan | Milan | San Siro Stadium | |
| Juventus | Turin | Juventus Stadium | |
| Lazio | Rome | Stadio Olimpico | |
| Lecce | Lecce | Stadio Via del Mare | Yes, Serie B champion |
| AC Milan | Milan | San Siro Stadium | |
| Monza | Monza | Stadio Brianteo | Yes, Serie B playoff winner |
| Napoli | Naples | Stadio Diego Armando Maradona | |
| Roma | Rome | Stadio Olimpico | |
| Salernitana | Salerno | Stadio Arechi | |
| Sampdoria | Genoa | Stadio Luigi Ferraris | |
| Sassuolo | Sassuolo | Mapei Stadium – Città del Tricolore | |
| Spezia | La Spezia | Stadio Alberto Picco | |
| Torino | Turin | Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino | |
| Udinese | Udine | Stadio Friuli |
Good To Know: Juventus is pronounced ‘you-VEHN-toos,’ not ‘jooh-VEHN-toos.’
Map of Italy Soccer Stadiums
Use the map to see if you’ll be near a stadium on your trip, to see where your favorite team is located, or to plan your route to the stadium on the day of the partita (satellite view is helpful).
Italy Serie A Season Schedule
What Months Does Serie A Play?
Italy’s Serie A season runs from August – May (or early June), with a few breaks during the season for national team games. There are also breaks for major holidays like Christmas and Easter.
The season schedule is released in June.
What Days are Serie A Games Played?
Most Serie A games are played on Sundays, but there are also games played on Friday, Saturday, or Monday. Occasionally, there is also a game played during the week (like on a Wednesday).
If you’re visiting, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to see an Italy soccer match.
If you happen to be visiting in the short off-season, you still have an excellent opportunity to see Italian soccer up close. Preseason training (usually in the mountains) is in July. The training and friendly match schedules are published on team websites. You can watch for free!
How Many Matches does Serie A Play in a Season?
The 20 teams in Serie A each play 38 games in the season. Each team plays the other team twice – once at home, and once away.
Where’s the Best Place to See the Serie A Schedule and Results?
For the most up-to-date and thorough information, see the Gazzetta dello Sport’s Serie A section, specifically the Calendario e Risultati. Catch – it’s in Italian, but if you follow soccer you’ll be able to understand it.
Otherwise, good English options are ESPN’s Serie A section and its individual team sections or Football Critic’s Serie A section.
How to Buy Tickets to a Serie A Italian Soccer Game
One thing that always surprises visiting soccer fans is that you can’t buy tickets to an Italian soccer game way in advance. So, if you’re coming in September but want to buy your tickets in May while you’re planning your trip… you’re out of luck.
Ticket sales typically open up for the next match or two, so you need to be patient.
The two best ways to buy tickets are:
- Through a team’s website, directly from the team or via the team’s authorized ticket agency.
- At a physical location – either from the team ticket shop or a team-authorized ticket agent. Good To Know: Not all teams offer this option.
Let’s take a look at both options:
Buying Serie A Tickets Online
We recommend buying your Serie A tickets directly, via the team website. Each team will either sell tickets directly or have an authorized ticket agency. For example, Juventus sells its tickets directly through its website, Fiorentina and AC Milan use VivaTicket, Napoli uses TicketOne. A team may not have the same official ticket agency every year.
Good To Know: We don’t recommend using secondary marketplace sites like Stubhub or ViaGOGO. Why? They aren’t official ticket sellers. Sure, they’ll give you your money back if there’s an issue, but it’s better to have a ticket to the game than the euros back in your pocket. Issues include not getting tickets in time, problems changing the name on the ticket, having the order cancelled, counterfeit tickets, not being able to contact customer service, and high ticket prices.
You can only buy tickets to the next one or two games coming up. You are also limited to the number or tickets you can purchase in your transaction (usually around 4). This is to prevent resellers from making large purchases to resell on 3rd party sites.
Buying Italy soccer tickets online is a simple process. You usually need to create an account, and then you choose your seats, fill in your contact info and payment details, and complete the transaction.
IMPORTANT: Tickets (biglietti)are associated with one person – when you enter the stadium, you’ll have your ID checked along with your ticket. So, when you’re filling in the contact info for the individual ticket, make sure the name, and DOB (date of birth) match the ticket user’s name and DOB on their photo ID (passport).
Helpful Tip: Research the stadium before you buy your tickets. Find out if it’s covered (or partially covered) and buy tickets in those sections if you can. It’s nice to have cover from rain or sun.
Helpful Tip: If you want to feel like part of the game, try to sit behind the team substitutes. You can’t see the game well, but you’ll feel a part of it. If you want to see the game well, sit up higher so you can see the entire pitch.
Once you’ve completed your purchase, you’ll get a ticket with a barcode via email. You can use this to enter the stadium. You do not need a paper printout of your ticket, but we recommend bringing one just in case (phone battery dies, etc).
Fun Fact: Your name is associated with your seat in case so if there are any problems in the stands, the authorities know who is in that seat.
Buying Serie A Tickets at a Physical Location
You can purchase your Serie A tickets in a physical location. Either buy them directly from the team (usually at a ticket office at or near the stadium) or from an official vendor. You can find the list of official ticket agents on the team’s website.
Just like online ticket sales, you’ll need to give your name and DOB that matches your photo ID (passport).
They will give you a physical ticket with barcode.
Can You Buy Tickets from Someone in Front of the Stadium?
If you buy a ticket from someone in front of the stadium, it will not have your name on it, which will be a problem when you’re asked to show your ID and it doesn’t match the ticket name. Also, the ticket could be counterfeit.
Do I Need a Tessera del Tifoso as a Non-Italian Spectator?
A tessera del tifoso is a fan loyalty card. Each team has a different name for it, including carta di fedeltà (fidelity card).
You DO NOT need to purchase a tessera del tifoso if you want to attend a game while you’re visiting Italy. Just purchase your ticket and have fun at the game. IMPORTANT: You will be sitting in the home team fan section, so it’s not a good idea to wear the visitor’s jersey or colors.
You may have read about the tessera del tifoso in forums or on team websites.
Main reasons you’d want to get a tessera del tifoso:
- If you want to sit in the visiting tifoso (fan) section, you need to have a tessera del tifoso. So, for example, you’re a Roma fan and you want to see Roma play at Napoli, AND sit in the Roma fan section.
- You want to get priority (early) access to ticket sales for your favorite team.
Good To Know: The tessera del tifoso was created for safety reasons – to keep hardcore fans from intermingling at the stadiums and possibly getting into verbal or physical fights. The away team fans are enclosed in separate sections.
The tessera del tifoso is not practical for a visitor. The process takes from one week to one month, depending on the team. You also can only have a tessera for one team.
Our advice is to do what many Italians do – buy the ticket to the game you want and if your team is the visiting team, just sit in the home team part of the stadium and enjoy the game without a visiting jersey.
If you decide you’d like to get a tessera del tifoso, just follow the instructions on your team’s website (usually in the ticketing section). It’s often called by another name – for example, Siamo Noi (Inter Milan), Fan Stadium Card (Napoli), InViola Card (Fiorentina), Juventus Card (Juventus), A.S Roma Club Privilege (Roma), AC Milan Fan Card (AC Milan).
Good To Know: One tessera del tifoso holder can usually purchase around 4 tickets.
What to Bring (and Not Bring) to the Italian Soccer Stadium
Make sure you bring:
- Photo ID
- Your Ticket – can have on phone, but always have printed just in case
- Your own food if you’re picky or follow a diet (like gluten-free)
Each team has a list of things you can’t bring, which includes:
- Umbrellas – you can usually leave hanging on the fence outside the stadium but you probably won’t find it again
- Glass
- Plastic bottles with caps – you’ll need to remove the cap (prevents fans from filling bottles and throwing them at players)
Getting to and Entering the Stadium
Stadiums and entrance processes aren’t identical, but generally follow a process:
- If you’re driving to the game, plan out your parking in advance. You may need to walk or take a taxi to the stadium from your parking spot. If you take a taxi, get the driver’s contact info and arrange to meet the taxi for a ride back to your parking spot.
- Usually about 1 km from the stadium, the road is closed, so you’ll arrive on foot (or taxi).
- Make sure you’re at the correct entrance (with your team). You are not allowed to enter through the other team’s entrance and walk to your section (in order to avoid fights between fans).
- Wait in line at the entrance.
- Scan your barcode ticket on the scanner (or staff will scan it).
- Go through a security check. You may be asked to empty your pockets or open your bag.
- Your ID and ticket may be checked again.
- Look for stewards (wearing brightly colored vests) who can help you find your section and seat.
What to Wear to an Italy Soccer Game
Your clothing choice will depend on the weather and the stadium. If it’s raining and the stadium isn’t covered, bring your raincoat. Stadiums can be very cold in the winter months, so wear warm clothing and bring a scarf.
IMPORTANT: Only wear your team’s jersey if you’re sitting with your team’s fans. If you are the visiting team and are in the home team’s part of the stadium (which is the case if you don’t have a tessera del tifoso).
Eating and Drinking at a Soccer Game in Italy
You can buy food and drink at the stadium, including alcohol. The food is very simple – think hot dogs and panini.
You can also buy food and drink outside the stadium. You’ll usually find food trucks, bars, and restaurants (and possibly a nearby grocery store).
Italian Soccer Songs, Cheers & Chants
Italian soccer chants and songs are a staple of the match. They’re often global cheers or chants with Italian words.
Each team has its own inno (anthem) that’s played at the beginning of the game when the team enters the field:
Fun Facts: Serie A has its own inno(anthem). The Italian National Anthem isn’t played at the beginning of Serie A games.
Big Italian Soccer Rivalries
If you can, attend a soccer game of rival teams. Some famous Serie A rivalries:
- Milan-Inter
- Juventus-Torino
- Sampdoria-Genoa
- Roma-Lazio
- Fiorentina-Juventus
- Inter-Juventus
- Napoli-Verona
If you have a chance to attend a rival game, go! Heads up that the fans can be extra passionate (occasionally fights break out or conversations get heated), so avoid sitting in the main fan sections if you just want to enjoy the game.
You’ll have two chances to see each rivalry during the season. Each team plays every other team twice, in each location. For example, Fiorentina and Juventus will play each other in two matches – once in Florence, and the other time in Turin.
Buying Italian Soccer Souvenirs
The most popular Italian soccer game souvenirs are jerseys and scarves. You can buy them before the game from an official team shop – in town or at stadium.
Some team shops inside the stadium require a ticket for entrance on the day of the game. You can also enter on non-game days without a ticket.
Good To Know: There are vendors selling jerseys near the stadium on game days. These are not ‘officially sanctioned’ by the team. You can still buy them, but the quality isn’t guaranteed. If you want an official jersey, purchase an authentic or replica jersey from an official team shop.
Other common soccer souvenirs in Italy include team soccer balls, flag, cups, or other items with the team logo.
You can also buy official team souvenirs on the team’s website.
Good To Know: What’s the difference between authentic and replica jerseys? Authentic jerseys are just like the ones the players wear on the field – they have a fitted, athletic cut and are made of technical materials. Replica jerseys usually have a more relaxed fit and may be made of a slightly different (but still great) material. Both authentic and replica jerseys are ‘officially sanctioned’ by the team.
Taking Children to a Soccer Game in Italy
Taking a child to a soccer game can be fun and memorable for kids and adults! It’s a wonderful way to experience Italian culture. However, it’s important to remember that Italians are very passionate about soccer – there can be ‘intense’ moments between fans and swear words fly freely during the match (although if you don’t speak Italian you may not notice).
Good To Know: We don’t take our kids to ‘big’ games because the adults don’t always behave.
Many stadiums have special sections for families and offer discounts for younger fans.
For more tips, check out
Taking Kids to an Italian Soccer Game
If you’re visiting in the summer off-season, an excellent alternative to going to a Serie A game is to head to a training session or friendly match during pre-season training. The training is in beautiful settings (often in the mountains), you get an up-close look at the players, and it’s free!
Good To Know: You won’t see many babies or toddlers at games, but there are plenty of Italian kids and teens!
Alternatives to Serie A Games
If you can’t fit any Serie A matches into your trip, don’t fret!
Check out the schedules for:
- UEFA Champions League – The top four Serie A teams from the previous season compete against the top teams from the other European premier leagues from the previous season
- UEFA Europa League – The fifth and sixth place Serie A teams from the previous season play against other teams in European premier leagues plus teams that get knocked out of the Champions League.
- Coppa Italia – Teams from Serie B & C begin the tournament and are later joined by the top Serie A teams
- National Team – Gli Azzurri aren’t in the upcoming World Cup, but they’re still in tournaments and playing friendly matches (Forza Azzurri!)
- Serie B – Serie B (professional) games can be very exciting (especially at end of season) because top three teams will be promoted to Serie A
- Serie C (Lega Pro), Serie D – Serie C (professional) and Serie D (non-professional)
- Women’s Teams – Each Serie A program also has a women’s team
- Primavera – younger players, non-professional
- Children’s games – in cities, towns and villages, kids of all ages play organized soccer; games are typically on Saturdays
- Amichevoli (friendly matches)
Helpful Vocabulary for an Italian Soccer Game
- Anthem – inno
- Ball – pallone
- Bench – panchina
- Captain – capitano
- Championship – campionato
- Coach – allenatore
- Fans – tifosi
- Fourth referee – quarto uomo
- Free kick – punizione
- Goal – gol
- Goalie / goalkeeper – portiere
- Half time – fine primo tempo
- Lineman – guardalinee
- Match / game / football match – partita
- Offsides – fuori gioco
- Own goal – autogol
- Penalty kick – calcio di rigore
- Player – giocatore
- Post – palo e traversa
- Referee – arbitro
- Replay – VAR
- Soccer / football – calcio
- Soccer team – squadra di calcio
- Stadium – stadio
- Stands – spalti / tribuna
- Substitute – sostituto
Going to a Soccer Game in Italy – FAQ
You can find English language information on Italian soccer standings in ESPN’s Serie A section and its individual team sections or Football Critic’s Serie A section. You can also look at the (Italian language) Gazzetta dello Sport’s Serie A section, specifically the Calendario e Risultati.
Italian soccer games are 90 minutes long, consisting of two 45-minute halves. The time can go longer (time runs and is added back for substitutions, injuries, time outs, etc).
Every team and Italian fan will give you their ‘best Italian soccer player.’ Many will give Maradona (Napoli) as Italy’s all-time best player, but there are many other Italian soccer legends.
Yes, you can see the Italian national team play in tournaments or friendly matches in Italy. Purchase tickets from the FIGC online ticket office.
The best way to buy tickets to a Coppa Italia game is to purchase them through a team’s official site.
There are scalpers at Italian soccer games, but it’s not recommended to purchase them – they could be counterfeit, the name on your ticket must match your photo ID when you enter the stadium.
The best places to see results and news are on the official Serie A website, official individual team websites, and ESPN. You can also follow Italian Football TV on Instagram or Twitter. Some teams have also have excellent, up-to-date Instagram feeds.
The Supercoppa Italiana (Italian Super Cup) is a game played between the previous season’s Serie A winner and the Coppa Italia winner.
The Supercoppa UEFA (UEFA Super Cup) is a game played between the previous season’s Champions League and Europa League winners.
Unfortunately, the Italian team didn’t qualify for the World Cup in Qatar. The next major tournaments they can be a part of are the 2024 Euro Cup and the 2026 World Cup.
Calcio storico (aka calcio fiorentino) is a violent soccer/rugby combo played in Florence each June. The four neighborhood teams (Santa Croce, Santa Maria Novella, Santo Spirito, and San Giovanni) play three games, with an opening game and a championship between the two winners.
Yes, you can change your ticket name on the team’s website. You’ll need to do this if you’re selling the ticket or giving it to someone else.
