Rome
Rome calls it calcetto, and on any evening the city is full of it: floodlit courts behind apartment blocks, sports clubs on the ring road and pitches hired for one hour a week by the same friends for years. The MCC Rome tournament in 2027 gives those teams three grounds, North Rome, East Rome and EUR, and a ladder that ends at the World Final on 7 July 2027.
Three grounds, three champions
Two halves of 15 minutes on a stop clock. Every team plays three group matches in a group of four, and the top two go into the playoffs, where a tie level after two halves goes to penalties. Five weeks of football on each ground leave Rome with three Pitch Champions, and each goes straight to the Country Championship.
North Rome
64 to 128 teams · $20,000 to its Pitch Champion
East Rome
64 to 128 teams · $20,000 to its Pitch Champion
EUR/South
64 to 128 teams · $20,000 to its Pitch Champion
Checking live availability...
Calcetto, the Roman habit
Roma and Lazio share the Stadio Olimpico and split the city, yet the football most Romans play is their own: a weekly calcetto with colleagues, neighbours or old school friends, booked by the hour and settled over a drink. Many such teams already have a name, a kit and a long-standing rivalry. MCC asks for five players on court and a squad of up to nine, and each match runs two 15-minute halves.
North, East and EUR across the city
North Rome covers the area around the Olimpico and the Foro Italico and the districts out along the Cassia and Flaminia roads. East Rome takes in the quarters beside Tiburtina, Pigneto and Centocelle, which the metro line C and the rail lines serve. EUR is the southern ground, based on the district of that name, where metro line B runs and the Grande Raccordo Anulare is close.
Every ground has room for 64 to 128 teams and one Pitch Champion. A venue for each is being confirmed through the MCC pitch owner programme, and the live cards above mark which of North Rome, East Rome and EUR has one.
Rome in April and May, and the road to the Italian final
April and May are among the best months in Rome, with warm days often above twenty degrees and light evenings, though a spring storm can still pass through. Group games begin on 9 April 2027 and fill the weekends of the 9th, 16th and 23rd. From 30 April the playoffs take over, and every ground has its final on 9 May.
Rome's three champions go to the Italy Country Championship, 28 to 30 May 2027, to face the winners from Milan, Naples, Turin and Bologna. The continental stage is next, and the World Final follows on 7 July 2027, with prizes from $20,000 to $5,000,000.
Rome tournaments versus a season of MCC
Calcetto tournaments in Rome tend to be one-day events at a sports club, with a trophy and a dinner. MCC is a season instead: published format, $20,000 for each Pitch Champion, a route out of the city. Teams must be amateur, each names a Team President, and the conduct policy tolerates nothing.
The road out of Rome
- 01 · 9 Apr - 9 May 2027
Pitch Round
Groups of four on every pitch, three group matches each. The top two of every group go into the playoffs, and penalties settle a level playoff tie.
$20,000 - 02 · 28-30 May 2027
Country Championship
The Pitch Champions of each country play for the national title: two halves of 15 minutes, a league table, then the playoffs.
$150,000 - 03 · 2027
Continental Championship
Country Champions compete within their region for a place on the world stage.
$500,000 - 04 · 7 Jul 2027
World Championship
A five-team mini-league, then the World Final: two halves of 15 minutes, penalties if level. One MCC World Champion.
$5,000,000
Questions from Rome
How does a team enter MCC in Rome?
Register on this site and pick one of Rome's three grounds: North Rome, East Rome, EUR/South. One Team License per team: USD 1,200 for one year until 1 March 2027 (then 2,500), or 5,000 for three years. Payment and KYC verification follow the application.
When does the tournament start in Rome?
The Pitch Round runs 9 April to 9 May 2027 on all three Rome grounds. The group matches are played on 9-11, 16-18 and 23-25 April, the playoffs from 30 April, and each ground's final on 9 May. Pitch Champions go straight to the Country Championship on 28-30 May 2027.
How many teams can play in Rome?
Up to 384: each of the three grounds takes up to 128 teams, and each needs a minimum of 64 to run its round. A full ground puts an entry on its waitlist instead of turning it away.
What can a Rome team win?
$20,000 per Pitch Champion, $150,000 for the Italy title, $500,000 continental and $5,000,000 for the World Champion - plus championship rings from Country level up.
Is calcetto played the same way as MCC 5-a-side?
The player count is the same, five a side, so a calcetto team already knows the game. MCC then sets its own format: squads up to nine, two 15-minute halves on a stop clock, and penalties for a level playoff tie.
Which Rome ground suits a team living near the centre?
EUR is the easiest by metro line B, and East Rome can be reached by line C. North Rome is the choice for teams from the districts near the Olimpico. Choose the one your players reach after work.
Can a team from Ostia or Tivoli enter in Rome?
Yes. Teams choose the ground they can reach, and the three Rome grounds are areas of the city and its surroundings, not single addresses. Most teams will pick the one nearest home.
What does a calcetto team need to register?
A Team License for the team, a squad of up to nine amateur players, and a named Team President. The licence is USD 1,200 for one year if bought before 1 March 2027, then 2,500, or 5,000 for three years.
Also hosting in Italy
Nearby in Europe
Claim a pitch in Rome
One Team License per team, for one year or three years. Squads of up to 9 are built in the MCC app after licensing. Registration takes the team, its coach and its Team President.
- USD1,200One year
- 5,000Three years