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Those who know him well say his passion for futsal is all-consuming. Alfredo Paniccia is the new head coach of the Italy women’s futsal national team, succeeding Francesca Salvatore, who brings a nine-year cycle to an end after leading the Azzurre to new and important milestones, including participation in the first-ever Women’s Futsal World Cup.
MALAGÒ AND CASTIGLIA. “We would like to thank Francesca Salvatore, whose work has enabled the women’s national team to establish itself at a good level on the international stage,” noted FIGC president Giovanni Malagò, also referring to their fifth place in the FIFA ranking. “I have a particular attachment to futsal; I have many personal memories of it, and the futsal national teams continue to represent an important asset for the FIGC. Paniccia’s appointment, agreed with the Divisione Calcio a 5, is aimed at boosting the Azzurre’s journey.” Two years ago in June, Salvo Samperi took charge of the men’s national team, and the new futsal Area Tecnica was presented on that occasion to support the Club Italia national teams, in cooperation with the Divisione Calcio a 5. President Stefano Castiglia highlighted, “I would like to thank President Malagò and Club Italia President, Ranieri. This new chapter strengthens the relationship of shared responsibility and collaboration within the federation, with the awareness that only a common vision can continue to grow, consolidate and enhance Italian women’s futsal. “There was full agreement on Paniccia’s appointment: his profile perfectly reflects the fundamental qualities required of a federation coach, including expertise, knowledge of the game, the ability to work with young players and a strong sense of belonging. On behalf of the entire organisation, I wish him all the best for this exciting challenge. “I would also like to thank Francesca Salvatore for what she achieved during a cycle that culminated in participation in the first-ever Women’s Futsal World Cup; it was a period in which important chapters were written. A new phase begins today, with the same ambition as always: building an increasingly competitive and representative national team, which is capable of being a reference point for the entirety of Italian women’s futsal.”
PANICCIA’S EMOTION. Alfredo Paniccia, who turned 40 last February, knows the FIGC environment well. He previously worked as a technical coach with the men’s Italy futsal national team under head coach Alessio Musti, and spent many years working with the FIGC Youth and School Sector, where he devised and launched the TDC development project, the Territorial Development Centres dedicated to futsal and part of the SGS Evolution Programme. “I have always felt that the FIGC was a second home,” he said in his first words after his appointment. “To be able to sit on the bench of such an important national team is a source of great pride. I would like to thank the FIGC, represented by President Giovanni Malagò and Club Italia President Claudio Ranieri, as well as the Divisione Calcio a 5 and President Stefano Castiglia. “I inherit a team that has been on a long and important path of growth. We already have an immediate goal ahead of us: to qualify for the European Championship finals for the first time. It is an exciting challenge to which I will devote myself entirely, on and off the pitch, in the interests of the team and the development of the women’s game, which today has plenty of room for growth.”
THE UPCOMING FIXTURES. The women’s national team will meet up at Novarello at the beginning of September, marking Alfredo Paniccia’s first outing as head coach. October will already be competition time, with the Azzurre travelling to Slovenia for the Main Round of qualifying for the 2027 European Championship finals. Their first official match will be against the hosts on Wednesday 7 October at 19:00 CEST. The following day, they will face reigning European champions Spain (16:30 CEST), before concluding the group against France on Saturday 10 October (16:00 CEST). The final part of 2026 will also be packed with fixtures for the women’s game: at the beginning of November, the women’s national team (Under-18 category) will travel to Dakar for the fourth edition of the Summer Youth Olympic Games. Sebastiano Giuffrida will lead the Azzurrine from the bench; he was previously a technical coach with the Italy women’s futsal national team and now in charge of the Futsal+ youth development project (which he took over from Paniccia) within the SGS.
PANICCIA’S CV. Born in Frosinone on 7 February 1986, Alfredo Paniccia holds a UEFA C coaching licence and a Futsal A Licence. He began his coaching career at a very young age, becoming Palestrina’s assistant coach in Serie B at 23. In 2012, in Augusta, Sicily, he worked as an assistant with the first team while also taking charge of the Under-21 side. His first experience as head coach of a first team came in the 2015/2016 season, again in Sicily, where he led Regalbuto to promotion from Serie C1 to Serie B. Three years later, he made the step up to Serie A with Latina, before joining the Italy futsal national team staff in the 2019/2020 season as an assistant technical coach to head coach Alessio Musti. After his time with the Azzurri, he returned to Regalbuto in Serie A2, and in 2021, also led the Under-19 side to the Scudetto. His collaboration with the FIGC continued and, in 2021, together with the Youth and School Sector, Paniccia launched the Territorial Development Centres, a futsal development project which followed the model already established in football and the CFTs, becoming the person in charge of the Futsal+ project. In 2022, Serie A came calling again and he accepted the challenge at L84 Torino. In 2023, he won the Coppa della Divisione, the first trophy won by the current reigning Italian champions, and was named the Divisione Calcio a 5’s best coach of the season. Among his formative experiences, Paniccia was a trainer and coach at Juventus Soccer School between 2009 and 2014, as well as a guest lecturer for the Technical Sector on the Futsal A Licence course in 2024.