Naples is one of the greatest places in the world to watch football. It is a city that lives and breathes the beautiful game, from murals dedicated to Diego Maradona in the Spanish Quarters, to the stadium that bears his name in Fuorigrotta.
But there is more to Campania than the Azzurri. This season, nine clubs other than Napoli will represent the region across Serie B and Serie C.
Savoia (12 miles from Naples)
Savoia make their return to professional football for the first time in a decade and under new manager Alessandro Formisano they will be hoping to avoid a swift return to Serie D.
They will certainly be backed by enthusiastic crowds at the Stadio Alfredo Giraud, which will be the sixth-biggest ground in Serie C Girone C, with a capacity of around 12,000.
What happens on the pitch, however, is only a fraction of the story. Based in Torre Annunziata, the club are part-owned by Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy, the grandson of Umberto II of Savoy, the last King of Italy.
Savoia, of course, is Italian for Savoy and the club’s badge is a stripped-down version of the House of Savoy’s coat of arms.
Torre Annunziata is home to the Scavi di Oplontis and Villa Poppea, a UNESCO World Heritage Roman villa that has been beautifully preserved and attracts a fraction of the crowds visiting Pompeii.
Giugliano (13 miles from Naples)
In Serie C for the past four seasons, Giugliano narrowly avoided relegation last term, churning through three permanent managers and two interim bosses before eventually bringing back Raffaele Di Napoli, who had managed them in the 2022-23 season only to be sacked five games into the following campaign.
Di Napoli will be in the home dugout at the Stadio Alberto de Cristofaro when the season begins, but whether he will last is another matter. Opened in 2000, the De Cristofaro is Serie C’s newest ground and it even hosted Diego Maradona, who took part in a friendly in Giugliano in 2006.
Part of Naples’ metropolitan area, Giugliano is Italy’s most populous municipality that is not a provincial or metropolitan capital and since 2012, it has been home to the Allied Joint Force Command Naples – one of NATO’s two strategic operational commands in Europe.
Juve Stabia (20 miles from Naples)
The Stabians have punched above their weight, reaching the Serie B play-offs in the past two campaigns, but promotion to the top flight has remained a step too far. Off-the-pitch issues — the club has been the subject of an anti-mafia investigation since October — may prevent another tilt at promotion under new manager Pietro De Giorgio, who replaced Ignazio Abate following his move to Torino.
That being said, expect the Romeo Menti to be as loud as ever when the season starts. The only stadium in Italy to share a name with another ground (Vicenza), the Menti’s location in the centre of town and the atmosphere make up for its dilapidated stands.
With great views on the Gulf of Naples, Castellammare di Stabia is the perfect stop for anybody looking to add another destination to a calcio weekender in and around Naples.
Casertana (24 miles from Naples)
Casertana’s biggest claim to fame is arguably to have been the spark that ignited a 10-day riot in the city of Caserta in 1969. Fans took to the streets after the Rossoblu were denied what would have been a maiden promotion to Serie B due to alleged match-fixing, setting fire to the train station and clashing with the police.
Life is far more tranquil in Caserta these days, the club have twice been knocked out in the play-offs since returning to Serie C in 2023, and another promotion bid is on the cards at the Stadio Alberto Pinto, where capacity stands at a shade under 7000.
The prototypical arena built during the Fascist regime, the Pinto may not win any style points, but Caserta will. The former residence of the Bourbon family, the Royal Palace boasts 1200 rooms and often draws comparisons to Versailles, while the Royal Park spans 120 hectares featuring cascades and ornate fountains.
Perched on a hilltop, the old town and its cobbled alleys have been wonderfully preserved and attract thousands of visitors each year.
Cavese (28 miles from Naples)
The northern gateway to the Amalfi Coast, Cava de’ Tirreni is something of a hidden gem. Often overlooked by tourists in favour of more fashionable destinations, the town offers an authentic coastal experience. Think great views, beautiful porticos and cobbled squares, minus the crowds.
On the pitch, Cavese have been in Serie C for the past two seasons and are the answer to at least two pub quiz questions: they are only side to beat AC Milan at San Siro in the 1981-82 Serie B campaign and the only Italian team be referenced in five different movies. They were also the subject of the 2025 Amazon Prime documentary Make Cavese Great Again.
Opened in 1969, the Stadio Simonetta Lamberti is relatively modern by Serie C standards but is the sixth-smallest in Girone C, with a capacity of 5200. It is named after an 11-year-old girl who was shot dead by the Camorra in an attack on her dad, magistrate Alfonso Lamberti.
Sorrento (30 miles from Naples)
If there is one place on this list that doesn’t need an introduction, it’s Sorrento. From stunning views of the Bay of Naples, to its picturesque marina and historical centre, the town should feature on any itinerary exploring Campania. It also helps that Sorrento is home to fantastic food and is the birthplace of limoncello.
On the pitch, Sorrento have made headlines by unveiling some magnificent kits over the past couple of years and have just about managed to steer clear of trouble over the past three seasons since returning to Serie C for the first time in a decade. Another relegation fight looms large this term.
Sorrento play their home games at the Stadio Donato Curcio in Picerno, in the Potenza province of the Basilicata region. The ground is by far the smallest in Girone C, with a capacity of just over 1600.
Avellino (34 miles from Naples)
Known to many as the town Tony Soprano’s family hails from in the hit TV show The Sopranos, it is a minor miracle that Avellino is still standing at all, following a series of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions from Mount Vesuvius and the devastating earthquake that hit Irpinia in November 1980. Yet the town retains its Roman architecture and old landmarks such as Palazzo Caracciolo and the Clock Tower, which was rebuilt half a century ago.
The Stadio Partenio, Avellino’s home since 1970 and Campania’s third-largest stadium, is a passionate cauldron of noise.
In their first season back in Serie B for seven years, the Irpini clinched a play-off spot and a return to Serie A is firmly in their sights. Can new manager Alessandro Nesta turn the dream into reality?
Salerno (39 miles from Naples)
The Stadio Arechi is Campania’s second-biggest ground after Napoli’s home, but Salernitana have never quite hit the heights of their rivals.
Only three years after being relegated to Serie B following three consecutive seasons in the top flight, the Granata again find themselves looking to escape Serie C after losing the play-off semi-final last term. To do so they have turned to Serse Cosmi, a veteran of the lower leagues, who makes his return to management four years after leaving Croatian side Rijeka.
Off the pitch, Salerno offers a more authentic experience than some of Campania’s more famous destinations, mainly because there are fewer tourists. Whether you are exploring the centro storico, visiting the Arechi Castle or simply walking along the palm-lined seaside Lungomare, Salerno deserves a visit.
Benevento (57 miles from Naples)
Campania’s third Serie B representative, Benevento are the furthest from Naples, tucked away in the heart of the region. A staging post on the Appian Way, one of Ancient Rome’s most important roads, the city can trace its roots back to 300 BC and retains several examples of classical architecture, chief among them the stunning Arch of Trajan.
Famous for its cucina povera (peasant food), Benevento is also a passionate football city and the Stregoni are back in the second tier after topping Girone C.
Expect the Stadio Ciro Vigorito, Campania’s fourth-biggest stadium, to be packed this season as the Giallorossi look to consolidate their place in the division under former Napoli striker Antonio Floro Flores.
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