Serie A 2026/2027: official schedule and transfer market heating up with major moves and relaunch strategies

The Lega Serie A has unveiled the official schedule of time slots for the 2026/2027 season. The championship will begin on Sunday, August 23, 2026, with a series of evening matches and will follow the same established structure with games distributed from Friday evening to Monday evening. Special exceptions will apply to matchdays preceding international breaks and midweek rounds, aiming to ensure adequate recovery for teams competing on multiple fronts.

On most matchdays, the schedule includes an early game on Friday at 20:45, followed by three early games on Saturday (15:00, 18:00, and 20:45). Sunday will be the busiest day, with five matches spread across 12:30, 15:00, 18:00, and 20:45, along with a Monday evening postponed game. For some special rounds, neither the Monday postponed game nor the Friday early game will take place, as established to optimize team conditions. Additionally, the final matchdays, usually played simultaneously at 15:00, may be divided into multiple time slots to ensure tournament integrity and assist teams involved in European finals.

Parallel to the schedule definition, the Serie A transfer market is heating up with major ongoing negotiations. Como, for example, is very close to bringing Argentine playmaker Nico Paz back to Italy from Real Madrid in a deal worth around €60 million. The player, who was part of Argentina’s World Cup squad, reportedly asked Como’s management personally to continue his adventure in Serie A under the technical guidance of Cesc Fabregas. However, Real Madrid has included a buy-back clause set at €80 million until next summer.

Atalanta, under the guidance of Maurizio Sarri, is planning significant reinforcements, especially in midfield. The acquisition of Gianluca Gaetano from Cagliari for around €15 million is now in the final stages. Additionally, the Bergamo-based club continues to closely monitor players like Mandela Keita from Parma and Ruben Loftus-Cheek, a former Chelsea player favored by the Tuscan coach. There is also considerable competition, particularly from Como, for the talent Antonio Vergara, a young 2003-born player also followed by Napoli, which, however, wants to retain him through a contract renewal until 2031.

On the defensive front, the market sees several Italian clubs engaged in complex negotiations. Napoli is pushing for Spanish center-back Mario Gila, with a personal agreement already reached until 2031, but the deal with Lazio is stalling due to financial demands. Meanwhile, Como is trying to secure defenders like Trevoh Chalobah from Chelsea and Davinson Sanchez from Galatasaray to strengthen their squad for the upcoming season.

Other Serie A teams are also making significant moves. Roma is close to finalizing contract renewals for Celik, Pellegrini, Dybala, and Mancini, while continuing discussions for the possible loan arrival of Mason Greenwood from Marseille. Venezia has secured two major signings, Lisman from Lech Poznan and Bella-Kotchap from Verona. Sassuolo is monitoring Maurits Kjaergaard from Salzburg and is defending against Besiktas’ interest in Armand Laurientè.

Finally, Cagliari is nearing the acquisition of Alessandro Romano from Roma and is pushing for Michael Aebischer, while Udinese is targeting Zanotti and Broja. In Emilia, Bologna is active on multiple fronts, seeking to strengthen with Falcone, Koopmeiners, and Philogene, and has rejected a €25 million offer for Rowe from an English club. Meanwhile, Lecce is negotiating with Qarabag for striker Emmanuel Addai, continuing the dynamic and competitive transfer strategies of an increasingly fierce and dynamic league.