The National team's training camp began today in Coverciano: the Azzurri will train at the Centro Tecnico Federale until Wednesday morning before leaving for Naples, where they will face England on Thursday at the stadio 'Diego Armando Maradona' in the first match of the EURO 2024 qualifiers. During the week week, there are several initiatives promoted by the FIGC and the national team, both in Coverciano, the training camp location, and in Naples, the match venue.

COVERCIANO. In the afternoon, after Roberto Mancini's conference and the first training session, 'Azzurri Live' will be back, available to fans of the National team live on social networks at 6:30 pm: the guests are Matteo Pessina and Giorgio Scalvini, who will tell their stories to those watching together with the presenters Barbara Cirillo and Federico Mosca, before questions from the fans.

Guests at Coverciano on this first day of the meeting are the children of the Real Eyes Sport Association, founded by Daniele Cassioli, blind from birth, water-ski champion and member of the CIP National Council. With them will also be the winners of the online auction promoted by FIGC and AIRC in November on the occasion of the week of 'A goal for research', a fund-raising event in favour of young science talents.

Two new partners of the national team will also make their debut at the Centro Tecnico Federale: Esselunga (today) and Biraghi (tomorrow). Tomorrow, the national team will also participate in the campaigns on the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, promoted by the UN, and on the 'Day of Remembrance and Commitment in memory of the victims of the Mafia', promoted in Italy.

IN NAPLES. Italy return to play in Naples after 10 years - to welcome the national team, the city will be painted blue: from the afternoon of Tuesday 21 March, at around 18:00 and until dawn the following day, and again on the following two evenings (22 and 23), the City of Naples - on the instructions of the mayor Gaetano Manfredi - will light up two of the city's symbolic sites, the Maschio Angioino and the Fontana del Nettuno in Piazza Municipio, with the colour blue.

Upon arrival at the Central Station on Wednesday 22 March, a delegation of the national team led by FIGC president Gabriele Gravina and composed of members of the technical staff and players will also visit the 'Santobono' Children's Hospital in Naples. The Azzurri will visit the neuro-surgery, neurology, neuro-psychiatry and neuro-oncology wards to donate balls, scarves and other items of the national team to the young patients. The visit follows a path undertaken for years by the FIGC, which has led the national team to meet patients in paediatric hospitals in the cities hosting the matches.

Soon after, the Mayor of Naples Gaetano Manfredi will present the medals of the City to president Gravina, coach Mancini and the captain of the Azzurri in the match. At the stadium there will be a series of activities to involve the public, to create the best atmosphere for a game that less than two years ago decided the Euros at Wembley; indeed at the 'Maradona', among other things, the brand theme of the Italian national football teams will also make its official debut alongside the Azzurri. Presented on 2 January together with the new scudetto logo, it is a true musical system, articulated in various elements: the sound logo, which in 3 minutes sums up the passion for the Azzurri and the Azzurre, the declinations for the various physical and digital touchpoints, up to the full track, entitled 'Azzurri', composed and produced by Enrico Giaretta and Maurizio D'Aniello and enriched by the voice of soprano Susanna Rigacci. Another debut in this competition is that of Oscar, the mascot of the national team, a puppy of a Maremmano - Abruzzese shepherd with a tender and kind face designed by Carlo Rambaldi, who passed away in 2012, a true master of cinematic special effects, for which he was awarded three Academy Awards.

For those who will be at home, the opportunity to follow the Azzurri is twofold: in addition to the live coverage on Rai 1, in fact, the broadcasts on social profiles are back: 'Vivo Azzurro Live', the pre-match show hosted by Pierluigi Pardo (7.45pm), and 'Casa Azzurri Live', with Gli Autogol and numerous guests from the world of football and entertainment (8.40pm).

In the stands there will be a special representation related to football activities in the city: in fact, the FIGC has invited some of the participants in two social projects promoted by the Pontifical Scholas Occurrentes Foundation in Naples, implemented in collaboration with the FIGC Youth and School Sector. On the one hand, a group of educators and children involved in 'Pelota de Trapo' (rag ball) in the Sanità and Scampia neighbourhoods, which aims to use football, especially among girls, as a means of aggregation, a project in collaboration with 'Play for Change' and 'Università Cattolica di Milano'; on the other, some boys from the Nisida juvenile institute who took part in the 'Zona Luce' project, an educational and training pathway, which involves prison police officers, inmates of the juvenile prison and sports staff of local clubs. Finally, the presence at the 'Maradona' of around 2,000 members of the Neapolitan football clubs affiliated with the FIGC is expected.

During the match, the FIGC will launch the 'United by the same colours' campaign, promoted since 2022 on the international day for the elimination of racial discrimination (21 March), on the big screen and on the advertising boards around the pitch.