Fantastico! CounterPress heads to Italy with the launch of Calcio Society

CounterPress will get its first taste of Italian football with the launch of Calcio Society.

The site launches later this month, with the aim of becoming the essential English-language home for Serie A and Azzurri thanks to independent and expert coverage that brings the tactics, the drama and the culture of Italian football to the fans who follow it from outside Italy.

Calcio Society is fronted by Italian football expert Andrea Locorotondo, who is also co-founder of another CounterPress title, The Holte Roar, which is dedicated to coverage of Aston Villa.

Calcio Society members can look forward to expert match analysis and tactical breakdowns from across Serie A, opinions, interviews, very low transfer rumours, long-form features on the clubs, a bit of nostalgia, players and stories that define the Italian game: all delivered with the perspective of an accredited journalist who works inside the game rather than watching from the outside.

Andrea said: "Italian football has a huge, passionate following around the world. Since my very early days as a football journalist in the UK, I’ve always found people that, noticing my Italian accent, wanted to know more about where I come from. And when I say 'Italy' the most common reaction was 'you know, back in the days, there was a TV show on Channel 4 called 'Gazzetta Football Italia…' and then, the iconic ‘Gollazzo’.

“Del Piero, Baggio, Totti, Maldini, Baresi, and many others: how good Serie A and the Italian National team were back in the day? Yes, I do believe it was the best league in the world and Italy was one of the most difficult national teams to challenge. However, today, if you follow Serie A in English you're too often left piecing it together from scraps. Calcio Society exists to change that, to give the Italian game the coverage it deserves, in English, all in one place.

"I've spent my career inside this sport as an accredited journalist, and I want to bring that access and an Italian perspective together for fans who love calcio as much as I do. This is independent coverage, so no club lines, no agendas, just honest analysis, proper tactical detail and the stories behind the headlines, whether it's the title race, a mid-table derby or a teenager breaking through.

"After building The Holte Roar with CounterPress, I've seen how powerful this model is for independent journalism, and Calcio Society is the natural next step. I'd love Italian football fans around the world to be part of it from day one."

Calcio Society’s early interest waiting list is now open ahead of a full launch on September 28.

Italian football fans keen to explore the platform can secure an exclusive discount on membership by adding their details to the mailing list today.

Calcio Society becomes the first CounterPress site dedicated entirely to Italian football, and joins La Liga London and The 1899 (FC Barcelona) in a growing stable of European football sites on the platform.

There are now more than 50 independent sites signed up with CounterPress, with prominent football titles including The Moonraker (Swindon Town), Forever Blues (Birmingham City), Full Throstle (West Brom), The Phoenix (Coventry City), Saturday White Fever (Fulham), The Wanderers Post (Wolves), Leyton Orientear (Leyton Orient) and The 1878 (Manchester United).

CounterPress offers the technical infrastructure and industry knowledge and support that journalists and creators need to build their own media brand.

Co-founder Sam Morshead said: “Growing up in the 1990s UK, Football Italia was a formative influence on me as a young football fan. And today there remains a keen interest in the league in this country.

“Yet there are still only a limited number of high-quality, community focused outlets providing English language coverage of Serie A and the wider Italian football scene.

“It’s really exciting, therefore, to be supporting Andrea with Calcio Society: a product which will offer knowledgeable, diverse coverage of a fascinating culture.

“I’m delighted Andrea has chosen CounterPress to provide the infrastructure, brand design, strategic consultancy, and technical support he needs to build and grow his own independent title.”