The 2026/27 Coppa Italia has officially kicked off, with early preliminary fixtures setting the stage for the opening rounds of Italy’s premier domestic knockout competition.
Vicenza Bows Out After Penalty Shootout Thriller Against Catania
The competition’s early action delivered immediate drama as Vicenza and Catania squared off in a fierce preliminary encounter. According to Corriere del Veneto, the match ended in a 4-5 defeat for the biancorossi following a tense penalty shootout, dumping Vicenza out of the competition immediately. Sportmediaset confirmed that Catania advanced alongside Ascoli, securing their places in the next phase of the tournament.
Trentaduesimi Matchups: Parma and Genoa Await
With the preliminary hurdles cleared, the tournament bracket moves directly into the trentaduesimi (round of 64). Gazzetta di Parma reported that Parma will face Catania following the Sicilian side’s penalty-kick elimination of Vicenza. Meanwhile, Sportmediaset noted that Ascoli advanced to book a clash with Genoa.
According to additional tournament scheduling details outlined by Goal.com, the opening round of fixtures features a packed slate across mid-August. Parma and Catania kick off the weekend action on Friday, August 14, at 18:00 local venue time (16:00 UTC), followed by Cagliari meeting Arezzo at 18:30 (16:30 UTC). Other notable Friday fixtures include Monza hosting Avellino at 20:45 (18:45 UTC) on Canale 20, and Fiorentina facing Benevento at 21:15 (19:15 UTC) on Italia 1.
Weekend Schedule and Broadcaster Lineup
Action continues across Italy through the weekend, offering fans multiple viewing options on free-to-air television. According to Goal.com’s tournament breakdown, Saturday, August 15 features Catanzaro against Südtirol at 18:00 (16:00 UTC) on Canale 20, Udinese taking on Padova at 18:30 (16:30 UTC) on Italia 1, Venezia meeting Modena at 20:45 (18:45 UTC) on Canale 20, and Torino squaring off against Carrarese at 21:15 (19:15 UTC) on Italia 1.
The weekend concludes on Sunday, August 16, with Frosinone playing Juve Stabia at 18:00 (16:00 UTC) on Canale 20, Genoa hosting Ascoli at 18:30 (16:30 UTC) on Italia 1, Verona facing Virtus Entella at 20:45 (18:45 UTC) on Canale 20, and Lazio meeting Mantova at 21:15 (19:15 UTC) on Italia 1.
Next Checkpoint in the Bracket
The round concludes on Monday, August 17, with Pisa playing Empoli at 18:00 (16:00 UTC) on Canale 20, Sassuolo hosting Cesena at 18:30 (16:30 UTC) on Italia 1, Cremonese facing Sampdoria at 20:45 (18:45 UTC) on Canale 20, and Palermo taking on Lecce at 21:15 (19:15 UTC) on Italia 1, as reported by Goal.com. Teams will look to secure their progression as the tournament narrows down toward the later stages.
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