Kick-off is delayed

The Italian Football League have decided to delay the start of the new season. It was originally scheduled to start on August 26/27, but that date has been deemed as unrealistic given another summer of controversy off the field. The Lega Calcio confirmed that the new campaign will now kick-off two-weeks late, on the weekend of September 9/10.

Due to the various appeals with regard to the match-fixing scandal and the threat of another tribunal hearing involving more clubs, the new season’s start date has been moved. Serie A will start with matches on Saturday 9 September and then come to a conclusion on Sunday 27 May 2007. The new Serie B season will also begin on the same weekend, but end on Sunday 10 June 2007.

There will be four midweek round of fixtures in the top flight and four weekend breaks in the schedule as a result of international commitments and the Christmas/New Year break.

The Coppa Italia will kick-off on Saturday 19 August, with the two legged Finals set for Wednesday 18 April and Wednesday 9 May 2007. The Italian Super Cup Final, which will officialy open the new season, between newly crowned Italian champions Inter Milan and Roma, last season’s Coppa Italia runners-up, will be played on Saturday 26 August in Milan.

The Commissioner of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) Guido Rossi had guaranteed there would be no delay, but the appeals of the teams involved in the match-mixing scandal and the evolving second phase inquiries will now disrupt the new season.


View the Lega Calcio Press Release (Italian) >>>