Italy Q&A: Soccer Games in Tuscany in October

Here’s another in the Italy Q&A series. This comes from Margie, who asks:

I am going to be in Tuscany October 10-17. Are there any soccer matches in our area during that time?

I’m sorry, Margie, I wish I had better news for you!

You would think, given that the soccer season in Italy starts in late August, that by mid-October you’d have at least a couple of games to choose from during that week. And with two teams in Tuscany - Fiorentina and Siena - that should double your chances, right? Unfortunately, the stars are not aligning properly for you this time.

I’ve been perusing the Italian soccer schedule for 2008-2009, and it looks like there are games played on October 5th and then not until October 19th - so you’re missing game days by just a few days on either side of your trip. I see that the Italian national team is playing a qualifying game for the 2010 World Cup on October 15 against Montenegro, but that game will be in Lecce down in Puglia. I’ll suggest that if you don’t have other plans, you find a TV in a bar somewhere in Tuscany on October 15 so that you can watch the Italian national squad play surrounded by passionate Italians - they can get even more excited about their national team than their club sometimes!

If you’re going to be anywhere else in Italy before or after your stay in Tuscany, let me know and I’ll have another look at the schedule for other cities. Failing that, perhaps you’ll have better luck on your next trip to Italy!