Exactly three months after the end of their EURO 2025 campaign, which concluded with a semi-final defeat to England followed by a visit to the Quirinale, Italy Women are finally ready to return to action. Tomorrow, in Como (kick-off at 18:15 CEST), 28 years on from their only previous match at the Stadio Sinigaglia, the Azzurre will take on Japan in the first of four friendlies arranged to prepare for the start of 2027 World Cup qualifying, which will begin in February.

On the horizon are the 90 minutes against Brazil, scheduled for Tuesday in Parma, and the tour of the United States at the end of November. However, for now, the team’s focus is solely on the demanding test against Japan, who sit eighth in the FIFA Ranking (Italy are twelfth). “Japan are very well organised in their structure and effective when they break forward,” Andrea Soncin said in his press conference. “They sit in a compact mid-block, which allows them to manage possession and transitions effectively. As always, we will set out with the aim of controlling the match, looking to handle the ball with courage and quality.”

It’s a philosophy that the National Team also showcased during their recent European campaign. “The feeling is that the thread connecting us to our experience in Switzerland has never been broken. It’s wonderful to see the players so determined and so eager to be together and wear this shirt again. We’ve picked up exactly where we left off, and now we have two matches ahead that can give us a great deal of experience. We chose to play them in Italy to allow youngsters to experience the passion that wearing the Italy shirt can inspire and to show what these girls are capable of. I’m sure Como and Parma will give us a fantastic welcome.”

Against Japan and Brazil, Soncin will be without some key players in the form of Arianna Caruso, Lucia Di Guglielmo and Manuela Giugliano, who remain at home due to injury, meaning he will have to field an unfamiliar starting line-up. Laura Giuliani, however, is available and, before kick-off tomorrow, will be honoured for reaching 100 senior caps (achieved against Spain in Itay’s third European Championship match). Giada Greggi will also feature and, along with the Head Coach, spoke to journalists before boarding the train to Como, where the team will complete the customary stadium walk-around later in the evening. “We face an important test. Japan are a very strong side,” said the 25-year-old. “I’ve always been fascinated by them because their squad includes many players with similar traits to mine: compact, quick and very aggressive. We will get at them and overcome any difficulties together.”

The Roma midfielder, having just made the European Championship squad following a long shoulder surgery recovery, can’t wait to pull on the Italy shirt again: “I was coming back from a serious injury and gave everything to get back. I really wanted to be there with my teammates,” she said. “Every time I step onto the pitch, I give my all to repay the fans’ support. At Roma, I play in a more advanced role and am now one of the senior players in the squad, but there’s still a long way to go before I can become a key figure in this National Team.”

TICKETS. Tickets for the Japan match – as well as for the 90 minutes against Brazil – are available from authorised Vivaticket outlets and online at figc.vivaticket.it and vivaticket.com. Discounts apply for Under-18s, Over-65s, university students enrolled in the current academic year, and Como 1907 season-ticket holders.

On matchday, Friday, tickets can also be bought at the stadium box office on Via Giuseppe Sinigaglia (Gate 12) from 15:00 CEST to 19:00 CEST.

 

SQUAD LIST

Goalkeepers: Rachele Baldi (Roma), Francesca Durante (Lazio), Astrid Gilardi (Como), Laura Giuliani (Milan);

Defenders: Caterina Ambrosi (Parma), Valentina Bergamaschi (Roma), Lisa Boattin (Huston Dash), Federica D’Auria (Lazio), Martina Lenzini (Juventus), Elena Linari (London City Lionesses), Beatrice Merlo (Inter), Elisabetta Oliviero (Lazio), Cecilia Salvai (Juventus), Angelica Soffia (Milan);

Midfielders: Giulia Dragoni (Roma), Giada Greggi (Roma), Nadine Nischler (Como), Marta Teresa Pandini (Roma), Eva Schatzer (Juventus), Emma Severini (Fiorentina), Martina Tomaselli (Inter);

Forwards: Chiara Beccari (Juventus), Barbara Bonansea (Juventus), Michela Cambiaghi (Juventus), Sofia Cantore (Washington Spirit), Alice Corelli (Roma), Cristiana Girelli (Juventus), Margherita Monnecchi (Lazio), Martina Piemonte (Lazio), Elisa Polli (Inter).