Five Serie C Teams You Haven’t Heard Of

Serie C often resembles its own ecosystem. From the sheer number of teams to the chaotic and convoluted play-off system and clubs falling into bankruptcy mid-season… the Italian third tier is never boring.

And with three groups of 20 teams each, even the most ardent follower of calcio might struggle to pinpoint exactly where on the map some of them come from.

For every Bari, Catania, Foggia and Spezia, there are a handful of much smaller sides, each with their own interesting stories to tell.

We’ve picked out five…

Scafatese

If you have heard of Scafatese, congratulations, you’re a calcio diehard. Founded in 1922, they have spent most of their existence in the lower echelons of the Italian game.

Despite a brief appearance in Serie B in the 1940s, they have mostly been confined to the semi-pro or amateur ranks. They play at the Stadio 28 September 1943 – Giovanni Vitiello – named after the date the Allies, with the help of locals, fought the Nazis in the Battle of Scafati.

The ground holds around 2600 seats and has, of course, a running track. The ground is also used by other local sides.

Located in Campania within the province of Salerno, Scafati has a population of around 45,000 people. Pompeii is a 10-minute drive away, making Scafati the ideal base for visiting one of Italy’s most-famous tourist destinations and watching a game on the same trip.

Back in the professional game for the first time in 16 years after winning their Serie D group last season, Scafatese will be hoping to survive the gruelling third-tier campaign. 

Pineto

Pineto have been around since 1962 but had to wait 61 years for a first promotion to the professional ranks of the Italian game. Located in the province of Teramo, in Abruzzo, Pineto is a seaside town in the mid-Adriatic around 30 minutes by car from Pescara. 

In addition to the beach, it is known for its Cerrano Tower, which was built by the Kingdom of Naples between the 15th and 16th century and is easily recognisable from anywhere in the town.

The team plays at the small Pavone-Mariani Stadium, a 1500-seat capacity arena and one of the smallest in Serie C. Pineto have, remarkably, defied the odds and remained in the third tier for the last three years — a 14th-placed finish in their first season was followed by consecutive campaigns in seventh.

If kick-off times allow it, catching Pineto and Pescara on the same weekend would make a nice double-header and you could top up your tan at the beach when not at the football. They play each other in Pineto in November with the return fixture set for March.

Vado

Vado, a Ligurian side based in the small town of Vado Ligure in the province of Savona, made small waves in May when they earned promotion to the third tier after winning their Serie D group. But the excitement and joy at entering the professional ranks for the first time in 78 years was short-lived. 

“I’ve decided that we won’t be playing in Serie C,” club owner Franco Tarabotto told Italian newspaper La Stampa. “I can’t take a step like this. I’m saddened, but in life, you have to make choices.”

The financial demands of making the leap from amateur to professional football were simply too much for Tarabotto. Fast forward several months and Vado now find themselves preparing for Serie C after he went back on his decision.

This will be the club’s seventh season at this level and their first since 1948. 

The town of Vado Ligure, despite its small size, has developed into a port of major significance in north-west Italy in recent years. Around an hour’s drive from Genoa, it offers stunning views of the coast.

The club play in the intimate Stadio Ferruccio Chittolina, but the 2000-seat ground doesn’t meet the standards required for Serie C, so there is talk of playing games in Novara, over 100 miles away. Watch this space.

Desenzano

Located in the province of Brescia but situated on the south-western tip of Lake Garda, Desenzano is another team more familiar with the amateur game.

They didn’t turn semi-pro until 2018, when they won promotion to Serie D, and they are one of Italian football’s newest sides, having merged with Calvina 1946 in 2020 to create Calcio Desenzano SSD.

They adapted to Serie D pretty well, with top-half finishes in every campaign. In 2024-25 they finished third, but last season won Group D ahead of Lentigione and Pistoiese to seal a place in Serie C for the first time.

This summer, the club again changed its name in view of entering the professional ranks, to the more solid-sounding Desenzano Football Club.

They play at the Stadio Tre Stelle, a 1100-seat ground that is mainly used for athletics. Yet, the ground is another one that doesn’t meet professional standards, and so they will play at Stadio Gino Corioni in Ospitaletto, 27 miles away, until the Tre Stelle is brought up to scratch.

Desenzano the resort is certainly well known, even if the team is not, with the town noted for its picturesque harbour close to the shore of Lake Garda, immaculate pastel-coloured buildings and stunning views of the Alps. 

Forli

Emilia-Romagna is bursting with football teams: from Bologna to Parma and from Modena to Sassuolo. So, Forli is not one that instantly comes to mind.

Like many clubs at this level, Forli’s existence has been up and down, to say the least. The club, originally called AC Forli, went bust in 2007 but was reborn as Forli FC. They worked their way back through the amateur leagues, made it to Serie D in 2016 and nine years later secured promotion to Serie C.

Both versions of Forli have spent most of their lifespan way down the pyramid. They have played in Serie B only once, in 1947. Back in professional football for the first time in two decades, they enjoyed a decent first season, finishing 12th.

The club plays at the Stadio Tullo Morgagni, named in honour of local hero Tullo Morgagni, who was first a sportsman and later a journalist. The 3300-seat stadium is, like others, also used for athletics. The stadium has also hosted American football matches, with finals played in 2009 between Palermo Sharks and North Rome Barbarians in the first, and Roma Grizzlies and Bolzano Giants in the second.

Forlì shares provincial capital status with neighbouring Cesena and unlike other entries here, is so big it has its own airport, making it a perfect base to see nearby Ravenna and Rimini over a calcio weekend.

A city known for agriculture and manufacturing, Forli specialises in silk, clothing, metals and household appliances. However, the city is trying to lessen its dependence on those sectors, and has a university that maintains close links with the University of Bologna.