With the first round of the UEFA Nations League, that secured the Azzurre’s spot amongst the elite of European football, behind them, the Italy Women’s National team is ready to go again in two friendlies against Ireland and England. The 2024 action will begin on Friday 23 February (18:15 CET) at Viola Park in Bagno a Ripoli with the clash against Ireland. On Tuesday 27 (18:00 CET) in Algeciras, Spain, there will be England, current European champions. Both games will allow Andrea Soncin to continue his preparations ahead of the Euro 2025 qualifiers, beginning in April (group draw to be held on 5 March).

For the double test ahead of the European action, the Head Coach has called up 32 players: new faces include a Sampdoria trio with goalkeeper Amanda Tampieri, Aurora De Rita and Elisabetta Oliviero. Also part of the full squad are Blucerchiate player Eva Schatzer (born in 2005) and AC Milan defender, Julie Piga, who were part of the retreat before the World Cup. Back in the group after missing out through injury are Juventus’ Barbara Bonansea and Cristiana Girelli. The Azzurre will meet at Coverciano on Sunday evening and will remain on retreat until the departure for Spain on 26 February.

OPPOSITION – Fiorentina’s new sports centre will host an Azzurre game for the first time/ This is the 8th meeting with Ireland in history and over the previous meetings, played between 2005 and 2019, Italy has picked up 6 wins and 1 draw. The biggest wins are two 4-2 scorelines, the first in the 2007 Algarve Cup that saw the historic first goal of Sara Gama. Eileen Gleeson’s side, 24th in the Fifa Ranking, are going from strength to strength and come off the back of an accomplished journey in the Nations League that ended in promotion to League A thanks to 6 wins in 6 games in the group with Albania, Northern Ireland, and Hungary.

In Algeciras, a Spanish town overlooking the Strait of Gibraltar, the 26th encounter with England will take place: the record stands at 11 victories for Italy, 6 draws, and 8 English successes, including the one in the match played a year ago in Coventry during the Arnold Clark Cup. The Lionesses, ranked fourth in the FIFA ranking, have been the most successful national team in recent years: they won the European Championship at home in 2022, the 2023 UEFA/Conmebol Final beating Brazil (winner of the Copa America), and have also won the last two editions of the Arnold Clark Cup, not to mention their second-place finish in the World Cup. The team coached by Sarina Wiegman, awarded FIFA's Best Coach in 2023, finished second in League A Group A of the Nations League behind the Netherlands.

TICKET SALES - Tickets for the match against Ireland will be available for purchase starting from 12:00 CET tomorrow, Friday, 16 February, at authorized Vivaticket agencies and on the websites figc.vivaticket.it and vivaticket.com. Also for the first event of the year, the FIGC has decided to maintain its policy of affordable prices (tickets starting from 5 euros), with tickets priced at 1 euro for Under 18s and Over 65s.

EDITORIAL NOTE - Media accreditation operations to attend the Italy-Ireland friendly scheduled for February 23rd at the Viola Park are exclusively open on the FIGC online accreditation system figc.getyourevent.online. Accreditation will be possible until 12:00 CET on Wednesday, 21 February.

List of Called-Up Players:

Goalkeepers: Rachele Baldi (Fiorentina), Laura Giuliani (Milan), Katja Schroffenegger (Fiorentina), Amanda Tampieri (Sampdoria);

Defenders: Elisa Bartoli (Roma), Valentina Bergamaschi (Milan), Lisa Boattin (Juventus), Aurora De Rita (Sampdoria), Lucia Di Guglielmo (Roma), Sara Gama (Juventus), Martina Lenzini (Juventus), Elena Linari (Roma), Elisabetta Oliviero (Sampdoria), Julie Piga (Milan), Cecilia Salvai (Juventus);

Midfielders: Arianna Caruso (Juventus), Giulia Dragoni (Barcelona), Aurora Galli (Everton), Manuela Giugliano (Roma), Giada Greggi (Roma), Eva Schatzer (Sampdoria), Emma Severini (Fiorentina);

Forwards: Barbara Bonansea (Juventus), Agnese Bonfantini (Inter), Michela Cambiaghi (Inter), Sofia Cantore (Juventus), Michela Catena (Fiorentina), Valentina Giacinti (Roma), Cristiana Girelli (Juventus), Benedetta Glionna (Roma), Martina Piemonte (Everton), Annamaria Serturini (Inter).

Schedule: 

Sunday, 18 February

Gathering at the Federal Technical Center in Coverciano

Monday, 19 February

- 13:00 Media opportunity

- 15:00 Training (first 15 minutes open to the media)

Tuesday, 20 February

- 13:00 Media opportunity

- 15:00 Training (first 15 minutes open to the media)

Wednesday, 21 February

- 15:00 Training (closed)

Thursday, 22 February

- 13:00 Press conference with the Coach and player in Coverciano

- 15:30 Official training MD-1 in Coverciano (first 15 minutes open to the media)

Friday, 23 February

- 18:15 ITALY v Ireland

 Saturday, 24 February

- 11:00 Training (closed)

Sunday, 25 February

- 11:30 Training (closed)

Monday, 26 February

- 10:30 Official training MD-1 in Coverciano (first 15 minutes open to the media)

- 15:15 Departure flight to Malaga

- 19:45 Walk around at Estadio Nuevo Mirador in Algeciras

Tuesday, 27 February

- 18:00 England v ITALY at Estadio Nuevo Mirador in Algeciras

- After the match, return to Italy and dissolution of the delegation