Have any question?
US Office +1 (816) 616 2298
Main Campus +39 06 9762 5083
info@romecityinstitute.com
US Office +1 (816) 616 2298
Main Campus +39 06 9762 5083
info@romecityinstitute.com
The Men’s and Women’s Soccer Programs at Rome City Institute are proudly affiliated with Lega Serie A, combining academic excellence with high-level training and competition in the heart of Italian football.
Italy is one of the world’s richest football cultures — a place where technical development, tactical discipline, and year-round competition are simply part of everyday life. It’s why Rome City Institute built its soccer program here, giving every student-athlete direct access to the country’s football culture: training under UEFA-licensed coaches, competing in the Italian football calendar, and learning the discipline and tactical awareness that define the game at every level in this country — on the pitch and around it.
Our Men’s and Women’s programs share that same coaching philosophy, training environment, and pathway into Italian football — each with its own coaching leadership, competitive season, and club placement track. Choose a program below to see how it works.
The Men’s Soccer Program is proudly affiliated with Lega Serie A, providing student-athletes with access to elite coaching standards and a professional training environment modeled after top European clubs. The coaching staff is led by Mauro Girini, Athletic Director at Rome City Institute and Coach of the Italian Youth Women’s national team. With years of experience in professional men’s soccer, he oversees all soccer programs at the Institute.
In addition, the men’s program includes a wide roster of assistant coaches with professional experience at clubs such as AS Roma and SS Lazio, ensuring student-athletes are mentored by professionals who understand the standards and expectations of Italian football at every level.
First-Team Goalkeeper Coach for SS Lazio (Serie A), bringing top-flight professional expertise.
Strength & Conditioning Coach for the Italian Men’s National Team U19, responsible for all athletic development at RCI.
Morning sessions at the Rome City Training Center focused on individual skill, tactical understanding, and team concepts.
Weekly gym workout guided by our performance coaches, aimed at physical growth, power development, and injury prevention.
Additional training opportunities with affiliated local clubs, exposing players to real Italian football environments.
The competitive season follows the Italian football calendar, running from August through May. Rome City Institute competes in the University League of Rome, a highly competitive collegiate championship featuring 14 teams representing universities from across the city.
Watch: Università di Roma ‘24 Champions →While club placement is not guaranteed, every player in the program has the opportunity to be scouted and potentially recruited by clubs within the Italian football network. Each year, several RCI players earn contracts ranging from the 4th Division (Serie D) down through Eccellenza (5th Division) and Promozione (6th Division), and others are recruited into youth academies. Our dedicated placement department maintains contacts across all levels of Italian football — from regional amateur teams to professional Serie A clubs.
A look at recent RCI soccer players who have gone on to sign with clubs across Rome’s amateur football system — from Serie D to Promozione (4th to 6th division), including top youth academies.
“My experience here in Rome has been absolutely life changing since I arrived in January 2024. Coming here to play football was the start of it all, but the city itself completely blew me away from day one. I’ve met so many incredible people who I can now truly call family, and I’ve been lucky enough to work with amazing coaches who’ve marked a before and after in my career, boosting my confidence on the pitch and teaching me life lessons that I’ll carry with me forever.”
The Women’s Soccer Program is led day-to-day by Head Coach Carmen Acedo, a former NCAA Division I player, alongside the same top-tier leadership overseeing all soccer at Rome City Institute: Mauro Girini, Athletic Director at Rome City Institute and Coach of the Italian Youth Women’s national team.
This shared leadership means women’s student-athletes train under the same elite coaching standards and professional environment as the men’s program, with a program structure and coaching staff built specifically around the women’s game.
First-Team Goalkeeper Coach for SS Lazio (Serie A), bringing top-flight professional expertise.
Strength & Conditioning Coach for the Italian Men’s National Team U19, responsible for all athletic development at RCI.
Morning sessions at the Rome City Training Center focused on individual skill, tactical understanding, and team concepts.
Weekly gym workout guided by our performance coaches, aimed at physical growth, power development, and injury prevention.
Additional evening training opportunities with affiliated local Italian clubs, exposing players to real match environments.
The competitive season follows the Italian football calendar, running from August through May. After winning the Eccellenza title in the 2025/26 season, our RCI women’s team earned promotion and now competes in Serie C — a national, semi-professional league that gives our student-athletes even greater exposure to high-level Italian football.
There are two pathways for student-athletes in the Women’s program: playing directly for our own RCI team, or being placed with a partner club at the level that best fits their development.
Serie C is a national, semi-professional competition — the third national division of Italian women’s football. Student-athletes who make our roster train and compete together as one team, playing directly for Rome City Institute throughout the season.
Players can also be placed with an external club within the Italian football network, at the category that best fits their level — a higher division such as Serie B (2nd national division) for our most advanced players, or Eccellenza (4th national division) for those still building toward Serie C.
Placement is not guaranteed and varies by player.
“Being a part of Rome City is being a part of something bigger than yourself. I joined the program in 2022, first doing my gap year and then falling in love with Rome and deciding to do my undergrad here. Rome City has given me the opportunity of a lifetime to pursue my dreams of playing in Italy. I have grown so much in all aspects of my life and with hard work, drive, and perseverance I will continue to grow with soccer in Italy and reach for the highest level.”
Men’s and Women’s Soccer share the same professional-grade training center and on-campus gym in the heart of Rome — with physiotherapy and recovery support also available on campus.
Where Rome City soccer alumni have taken their game.
Are you ready to become a Rome City Lion?
At Rome City we are looking for students who are willing to think outside the box and prepare themself for a professional journey in a rapidly changing world.
