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The unique history of the Vatican, without a Pope, but with football! The Holy See can also boast a national team
2025-05-08 00:09:13 / BOTA
Vatican City is not only the smallest country in the world, but also a nation closely associated with sports and football. The 0.44 square kilometer state hosts numerous football competitions and even has a national team.
We have to go back to January 7, 1521 to find the first football match in the Vatican. At that time, under the pontificate of Pope Leo X, a meeting of the Papal States was held. However, it was only after World War II that football in this city-state began to take shape in a formal structure. In 1947, an attempt was made to play the first modern match in the history of this state, however, a fight between players and fans prevented the selection of a winner.
Later, employees of the Vatican Museums founded the country’s first official team. In 1972, the Vatican Football Federation, known as “ASD Sport” in the Vatican, was founded, responsible for the men’s and women’s national teams, as well as for national football. As expected, they have their own league. Eight teams compete in the Vatican City State Championship: Vatican Museums, Swiss Guard, DirTel Team (Vatican Telecommunications), Pontifical Lateran University, Secret Archives, Dirseco, Fortitudo 2007 and Rappresentativa OPBG (from the “Bambino Gesù” Children’s Hospital).
The “clubs,” if they can be called such, are not made up exclusively of Vatican employees. As the regulations state, “a maximum of two outside players per team may participate, in addition to those playing in the role of goalkeeper.”
The goalkeepers are usually amateur footballers from Italian competitions. In the case of the female squad, the participation of “wives, daughters and sisters” of the workers is also allowed. The matches are played on Mondays and Tuesdays, outside working hours, as the participants are employees of the Holy See. The league is usually held between October and May, with a break between December and January. However, in the Vatican there is not only one competition, but there is also the Vatican Cup and the Vatican Super Cup, where the winner of the league and cup compete.
WHITE, YELLOW – Although not affiliated with either FIFA or UEFA, the Vatican could not be left without a national team. The first men's team match was played in 1994, between the Vatican and San Marino B.
It was held in Rome on 22 November 1994 and the match ended 0–0. Like the country's flag, the Vatican players wear white and yellow shirts. Its crest also includes the national colours, as well as the coat of arms in the centre, surrounded by laurel and a dove of peace on top. Despite the usual policy of national teams, there are no players of Vatican nationality; it is the employees of the Holy See who wear the shirt.
The yellow-white team has a certain rivalry with the Monaco team, which they have faced up to five times. On the other hand, the women's national team was founded in 2020, under the leadership of Pope Francis, who passed away a few weeks ago. Their first match was held on May 26 against Roma, in a match that ended 10-0 in favor of the professionals.
Both teams are coached by Gianfranco Guadagnali. As if the three domestic competitions weren't enough, the Vatican has a World Cup for religious figures. Since 2007, the so-called Clergy Cup has been held, a tournament in which 16 teams of seminarians and ecclesiastical colleges from Rome participate. The competition brings together players from all over the world.
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