Coppa Cervati
The 11-a-side football tournament that has been lighting up the summer in Piaggine, at the foot of Mount Cervati, for half a century.
About Coppa Cervati
A village tournament over half a century old
The Coppa Cervati is much more than just a summer football tournament: it is the event that has defined August for decades in Piaggine, a village of just over a thousand inhabitants in the heart of the inland Cilento region, in the province of Salerno, Campania. The tournament is named after Mount Cervati, the highest peak in Campania, which towers over the village and gives the entire valley its identity.
The event dates back to the early seventies: founded in 1973, the competition has spanned generations of players, coaches, and fans, becoming one of the longest-running and most recognizable amateur football events in the region. For many towns in the area, the Coppa Cervati is the time of year when the community fully reunites, aided by the return of emigrants for their summer holidays.
The Ciccio Petrone field, the heart of the event
All matches are played at the Ciccio Petrone Municipal Stadium in Piaggine, the village's sports facility nestled in the greenery of the Cilento mountains. The games are played at night, with kick-off in the evening: a practical choice to escape the heat, which creates the typical atmosphere of southern summer football, with floodlights, full stands, and chants from supporters arriving from neighboring towns.
The teams: the football geography of inland Cilento
The Coppa Cervati is an 11-a-side football tournament open to representative teams from local towns. Each team bears the name of its village, and the challenge immediately takes on the flavor of a valley derby. Among the municipalities that have fielded a team in recent years are:
- Piaggine (the Piagginese), the hosts;
- Laurino, Sacco, Rofrano, and Cannalonga, in the Calore and Bussento valleys;
- Villa Littorio (a hamlet of Laurino) and the Villese;
- Stio, Valle dell'Angelo, and Roccadaspide, at the gateway to the Alburni mountains.
The regulations provide for a maximum number of registered teams (ten in recent editions) and squads of no more than eighteen players each, with registration closing at the start of summer. The usual format consists of group stages followed by semi-finals and a final which, by long-standing tradition, is played on August 22.
Prizes and awards
In addition to the trophy, the event awards a cash prize to the winning team (2,000 euros in the 2025 edition) and a series of individual awards that liven up the final race: top scorer, best goalkeeper, best player of the tournament, and the fair play cup for the most disciplined team. The awards ceremony concludes the final evening and is, in effect, the village's end-of-summer celebration.
Who organizes it
The Coppa Cervati is promoted by the Pro Loco Cervati of Piaggine in collaboration with the Youth Forum and with the support of the municipal administration led by Mayor Renato Pizzolante. The technical coordination of the tournament has been entrusted for years to Carmine Di Nome, supported by a group of volunteers who handle the field, refereeing, logistics, and communication. Matches are often broadcast via live streaming on the social media channels of local news outlets, reaching Cilento natives far from home.
An event within the summer of Piaggine
The tournament does not exist in isolation: it fits into the summer calendar of the Municipality of Piaggine, which between late July and August offers concerts, book presentations, children's days, and the most heartfelt religious celebrations of the local calendar, from the Madonna della Neve on Mount Cervati to the Madonna del Monte Vivo around mid-August.
Piaggine and Mount Cervati
Located at an altitude of 630 meters within the Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni National Park, Piaggine is the classic gateway to Mount Cervati, a destination for hikers climbing to the rock sanctuary of the Madonna della Neve. The village preserves a compact historic center, fresh water springs, and mountain cuisine made of cacioricotta, handmade fusilli, and forest products: a side of Cilento that is different from the coast, more authentic and less crowded. Attending an evening of the Coppa Cervati is the most immediate way to connect with this community.
Coppa Cervati — edition 2026
The 45th edition
The 2026 edition of the Coppa Cervati, the forty-fifth in the tournament's history, will be held in Piaggine from July 29 to August 22, 2026, at the Ciccio Petrone Municipal Stadium. The opening is marked by an inaugural ceremony celebrating the history, sport, and passion of the event, followed by the first match scheduled at 8 PM.
There are nine teams at the starting line, all representing the municipalities and hamlets of inland Cilento: the host Piagginese, defending champions Laurino, Rofrano, Villese, Villa Littorio, Sacco, Stio, Valle dell'Angelo, and Roccadaspide. The opening match features Laurino against Rofrano.
The special guest of the opening evening is Angelo Alessio, a former Juventus player and a key figure in the competition's history: in 1983, he scored a decisive brace that led Laurino to win the Cup. Alessio will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award on this occasion.
The organization is handled by the Pro Loco of Piaggine with the Youth Forum and the municipal administration led by Mayor Renato Pizzolante, with Carmine Di Nome in charge of the tournament. The goal of this edition is clear: to restore the Coppa Cervati to the splendor that made it one of the most prestigious sporting events in Cilento.
Programme Coppa Cervati 2026
Wednesday, July 29, 2026 – Opening
- 8 PM: Inaugural ceremony of the 45th Coppa Cervati at the Ciccio Petrone Municipal Stadium, dedicated to the history, sport, and passion of the tournament.
- Presentation of the Lifetime Achievement Award to Angelo Alessio, former Juventus player, who scored the brace in 1983 that gave the Cup to Laurino.
- Opening match: Laurino (defending champion) vs. Rofrano.
- Refereeing team for the opening match: Bruno Carbone (referee), Vincenzo Scarciglia and Domenico Alessio (assistants), Angelo Di Mercurio (fourth official).
July 30 to August 21 – Group stage and semi-finals
- Night matches at the Ciccio Petrone stadium between the nine registered teams: Piagginese, Laurino, Rofrano, Villese, Villa Littorio, Sacco, Stio, Valle dell'Angelo, and Roccadaspide.
- The full match schedule will be released by the Pro Loco Cervati and the Youth Forum during the tournament.
Saturday, August 22, 2026 – Final
- Grand final of the 45th Coppa Cervati and awards ceremony: trophy for the winning team and individual awards (top scorer, best goalkeeper, best player, fair play cup).
Highlights Coppa Cervati 2026
- 45th edition of the historic 11-a-side football tournament of inland Cilento.
- Inaugural ceremony on Wednesday, July 29, at 8 PM at the Ciccio Petrone stadium.
- Nine teams competing: Piagginese, Laurino, Rofrano, Villese, Villa Littorio, Sacco, Stio, Valle dell'Angelo, Roccadaspide.
- Opening match Laurino vs. Rofrano, with the defending champions immediately on the field.
- Lifetime Achievement Award to Angelo Alessio, former Juventus player, star of the 1983 edition.
- Night matches, featuring intense valley derbies.
- Final on August 22, with individual awards and village celebration.
Prices Coppa Cervati 2026
Practical information — Coppa Cervati
Where it is played
All matches are played at the Ciccio Petrone Municipal Stadium in Piaggine (SA), in the inland Cilento region, within the Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni National Park.
How to get there
By car: from the A2 del Mediterraneo motorway, take the Sicignano degli Alburni or Petina exit, then follow the SS488 and provincial roads towards Piaggine; from Salerno, you can travel up the Calore valley passing through Roccadaspide and Laurino. From Naples, the journey takes about two and a half hours. The reference railway station is Vallo della Lucania-Castelnuovo, connected by local bus lines; however, a car remains the most practical means of transport.
Times
Matches are played in the evening (kick-off around 8 PM). The final is traditionally scheduled for August 22.
Team registration
The tournament is reserved for teams from the surrounding area: registration closes at the beginning of summer (June 15 in the 2025 edition), with a maximum of ten teams and squads of up to eighteen players. Information is provided by the Pro Loco Cervati and the Municipality of Piaggine.
Contacts
- Municipality of Piaggine – Piazza Umberto I, 9 – tel. +39 0974 942014
- Organization: Pro Loco Cervati Piaggine with the Youth Forum
Tips
August at high altitude is cool in the evening: it is advisable to bring a sweatshirt even in the middle of summer. Those staying for a few days can combine the climb to Mount Cervati with a visit to the villages of Laurino and Sacco and the patronal feasts that accompany the tournament.
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Where does it take place — Coppa Cervati
Stadio Comunale Ciccio Petrone