Lega Nazionale Dilettanti clarifies Serie D 2026‑27 ripescaggio rules

The Lega Nazionale Dilettanti (LND) issued an official statement explaining that the selection of clubs to fill vacant spots in the 2026‑27 Serie D will follow strictly objective and pre‑defined rules, with no discretionary power for federation officials. A vacancy is identified only when the league’s target of 162 teams is not met; the vacant places are then allocated from a ranking of clubs that submitted applications by the deadline (June 4 2026) and whose scores are calculated according to tables published in LND communiqué n. 213 and Interregional Department communiqué n. 56 (December 5 2025). Admission also requires a binding opinion from the Commission for Oversight of Amateur Football Clubs.

Clubs have been notified of their individual scores, and they were given the opportunity to comment. Messina, for example, submitted objections, arguing that its youth and women’s football points were undervalued. Meanwhile, the Veneto regional committee confirmed several clubs that have already been promoted through the ripescaggio process, including Thiene 1908 and others across the Eccellenza, Promozione and lower categories.