The 2015–16 Lega Pro Divisione Unica is the second season of the unified
Lega Pro division. The championship name, which is ''Divisione Unica'' according to the FIGC regulations, is called ''Lega Pro'' in official documents.
Teams
A total of 54 teams will contest the league. Clubs will include 2 sides relegated from the
2014–15 Serie B
The 2014–15 Serie B was the 83rd season since its establishment in 1929. A total of 22 teams contested the league: 14 of which returning from the 2013–14 season, 5 of which promoted from Prima Divisione, and three relegated from Serie A. T ...
season, 43 sides playing the
2014–15 Lega Pro
The 2014–15 Lega Pro was the first season of the unified Lega Pro division in place of the old Prima Divisione and Seconda Divisione. The league is composed of 60 teams divided into three different groups of 20 each.
Teams
A total of 60 team ...
season, and 9 sides promoted from the
2014–15 Serie D
The 2014–15 Serie D was the sixty-seventh edition of the top level Italian non-professional football championship. It represented the fourth tier in the Italian football league system.
It consisted of 167 teams, including the admitted Arzachena, ...
season.
On 1 July 2015 60 teams mathematically qualified to the new season. However,
Barletta (bankruptcy),
Grosseto (bankruptcy),
Monza
Monza (, ; lmo, label=Lombard language, Lombard, Monça, locally ; lat, Modoetia) is a city and ''comune'' on the River Lambro, a tributary of the Po River, Po in the Lombardy region of Italy, about north-northeast of Milan. It is the capit ...
(bankruptcy) and
Castiglione did not submit their application for a license. New companies from Grosseto and Monza applied for Serie D, and Barletta for Eccellenza while Castiglione plays in youth football only. Moreover, 12 teams failed the initial financial stress test of FIGC. On 17 July
Reggina Calcio,
A.S. Varese 1910,
F.B.C. Unione Venezia,
Real Vicenza and
Paganese Calcio 1926 were officially excluded; new companies from Reggio Calabria, Varese and Venezia were admitted to Serie D and Eccellenza respectively, while Real Vicenza was focused on youth football. On 31 July Paganese won the appeal. The exclusion left Lega Pro 8 teams short as well as 1 team short in Serie B due to bankruptcy of Parma. FIGC decided that
Brescia replaced Parma in Serie B as well as readmission of AlbinoLeffe and Pordenone to Lega Pro on 4 August. On 20 August
Catania
Catania (, , Sicilian and ) is the second largest municipality in Sicily, after Palermo. Despite its reputation as the second city of the island, Catania is the largest Sicilian conurbation, among the largest in Italy, as evidenced also by ...
and
Teramo were relegated to Lega Pro due to another chapter of
betting scandal, while
Savona
Savona (; lij, Sann-a ) is a seaport and ''comune'' in the west part of the northern Italy, Italian region of Liguria, capital of the Province of Savona, in the Riviera di Ponente on the Mediterranean Sea.
Savona used to be one of the chie ...
was relegated to Serie D;
Ascoli and
Virtus Entella were promoted to replace the vacancies, subject to the appeals. Moreover, the Federal Council also reduced the league from 60 teams to 54 teams, making there was 2 vacancies left on 25 August. On 29 August Savona won the appeal to remain in the professional league;
Torres and
Vigor Lamezia were relegated, despite both FIGC, Catania and Teramo were still able to appeal in CONI. On 1 September
Pro Patria and
Messina
Messina (, also , ) is a harbour city and the capital of the Italian Metropolitan City of Messina. It is the third largest city on the island of Sicily, and the 13th largest city in Italy, with a population of more than 219,000 inhabitants in ...
were readmitted, while the last team promoted from Serie D was
Monopoli.
Group A, North
*
AlbinoLeffe, from Girone A
*
Alessandria
Alessandria (; pms, Lissandria ) is a city and ''comune'' in Piedmont, Italy, and the capital of the Province of Alessandria. The city is sited on the alluvial plain between the Tanaro and the Bormida rivers, about east of Turin.
Alessandria ...
, from Girone A
*
Bassano Virtus
Bassano Virtus 55 Soccer Team S.p.A., commonly known as Bassano Virtus or just Bassano is a football club based in Bassano del Grappa, Veneto. The first team of the club was relocated to Vicenza in 2018 as L.R. Vicenza Virtus, while the youth ...
, from Girone A
*
Cittadella, from Serie B
*
Cremonese
Cremona (, also ; ; lmo, label= Cremunés, Cremùna; egl, Carmona) is a city and ''comune'' in northern Italy, situated in Lombardy, on the left bank of the Po river in the middle of the ''Pianura Padana'' (Po Valley). It is the capital of the ...
, from Girone A
*
Cuneo, from Serie D, Group A
*
FeralpiSalò, from Girone A
*
Giana Erminio
Associazione Sportiva Giana Erminio S.r.l. is an Italian football club based in Gorgonzola, Lombardy. The team currently plays in Italy's .
History
The club was founded in 1909 as ''Unione Sportiva Argentia'', and later adopted the current name ...
, from Girone A
*
Lumezzane, from Girone A
*
Mantova
Mantua ( ; it, Mantova ; Lombard and la, Mantua) is a city and ''comune'' in Lombardy, Italy, and capital of the province of the same name.
In 2016, Mantua was designated as the Italian Capital of Culture. In 2017, it was named as the Europ ...
, from Girone A
*
Padova, from Serie D, Group C
*
Pavia, from Girone A
*
Pordenone
Pordenone (; Venetian and fur, Pordenon) is the main ''comune'' of Pordenone province of northeast Italy in the Friuli Venezia Giulia region.
The name comes from Latin ''Portus Naonis'', meaning 'port on the Noncello (Latin ''Naon'') River'.
...
, from Girone A
*
Pro Patria, from Girone A
*
Pro Piacenza
Associazione Sportiva Pro Piacenza 1919 S.r.l. or simply Pro Piacenza was an Italian association football club, based in Piacenza, Emilia-Romagna. The club played in Serie C, the third tier of Italian football, until 18 February 2019 when ...
, from Girone B
*
Reggiana, from Girone B
*
Renate, from Girone A
*
Südtirol, from Girone A
Group B, Central
*
Ancona, from Girone B
*
Arezzo
Arezzo ( , , ) , also ; ett, 𐌀𐌓𐌉𐌕𐌉𐌌, Aritim. is a city and ''comune'' in Italy and the capital of the province of the same name located in Tuscany. Arezzo is about southeast of Florence at an elevation of above sea level. ...
, from Girone A
*
Carrarese, from Girone B
*
L'Aquila
L'Aquila ( , ) is a city and ''comune'' in central Italy. It is the capital city of both the Abruzzo region and of the Province of L'Aquila. , it has a population of 70,967 inhabitants. Laid out within medieval walls on a hill in the wide valle ...
, from Girone B
*
Lucchese, from Girone B
*
Lupa Roma, from Girone C
*
Maceratese, from Serie D, Group F
*
Pisa
Pisa ( , or ) is a city and ''comune'' in Tuscany, central Italy, straddling the Arno just before it empties into the Ligurian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Pisa. Although Pisa is known worldwide for its leaning tower, the cit ...
, from Girone B
*
Pistoiese, from Girone B
*
Pontedera, from Girone B
*
Prato
Prato ( , ) is a city and ''comune'' in Tuscany, Italy, the capital of the Province of Prato. The city lies in the north east of Tuscany, at the foot of Monte Retaia, elevation , the last peak in the Calvana chain. With more than 200,000 i ...
, from Girone B
*
Rimini, from Serie D, Group D
*
Santarcangelo, from Girone B
*
Savona
Savona (; lij, Sann-a ) is a seaport and ''comune'' in the west part of the northern Italy, Italian region of Liguria, capital of the Province of Savona, in the Riviera di Ponente on the Mediterranean Sea.
Savona used to be one of the chie ...
, from Girone B
*
Siena, from Serie D, Group E
*
SPAL, from Girone B
*
Teramo, from Girone B
*
Tuttocuoio, from Girone B
Group C, South
*
Akragas, from Serie D, Group I
*
Benevento
Benevento (, , ; la, Beneventum) is a city and ''comune'' of Campania, Italy, capital of the province of Benevento, northeast of Naples. It is situated on a hill above sea level at the confluence of the Calore Irpino (or Beneventano) and the ...
, from Girone C
*
Casertana, from Girone C
*
Catania
Catania (, , Sicilian and ) is the second largest municipality in Sicily, after Palermo. Despite its reputation as the second city of the island, Catania is the largest Sicilian conurbation, among the largest in Italy, as evidenced also by ...
, from Serie B
*
Catanzaro, from Girone C
*
Cosenza
Cosenza (; local dialect: ''Cusenza'', ) is a city in Calabria, Italy. The city centre has a population of approximately 70,000; the urban area counts more than 200,000 inhabitants. It is the capital of the Province of Cosenza, which has a populati ...
, from Girone C
*
Fidelis Andria
Fidelis Andria 2018 or simply Fidelis Andria is an Italian association football, football club based in Andria, Apulia. The club was founded in 1971 and re-founded in 2005, 2013 and 2018. The team competes in .
Fidelis Andria play their home ma ...
, from Serie D, Group H
*
Foggia
Foggia (, , ; nap, label= Foggiano, Fògge ) is a city and former ''comune'' of Apulia, in Southern Italy, capital of the province of Foggia. In 2013, its population was 153,143. Foggia is the main city of a plain called Tavoliere, also known ...
, from Girone C
*
Ischia, from Girone C
*
Juve Stabia
Società Sportiva Juve Stabia is an Italian football club based in Castellammare di Stabia, Campania.
Juve Stabia currently plays in Serie C, the third tier of Italian football system.
History
The football in Castellammare di Stabia
From St ...
, from Girone C
*
Lecce
Lecce ( ); el, label=Griko, Luppìu, script=Latn; la, Lupiae; grc, Λουπίαι, translit=Loupíai), group=pron is a historic city of 95,766 inhabitants (2015) in southern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Lecce, the province ...
, from Girone C
*
Lupa Castelli Romani, from Serie D, Group G
*
Martina Franca, from Girone C
*
Matera
Matera (, ; Materano: ) is a city in the region of Basilicata, in Southern Italy.
As the capital of the province of Matera, its original settlement lies in two canyons carved by the Gravina River. This area, the Sassi di Matera, is a comple ...
, from Girone C
*
Melfi, from Girone C
*
Messina
Messina (, also , ) is a harbour city and the capital of the Italian Metropolitan City of Messina. It is the third largest city on the island of Sicily, and the 13th largest city in Italy, with a population of more than 219,000 inhabitants in ...
, from Girone C
*
Monopoli, from Serie D, Group H
*
Paganese, from Girone C
Stadia and locations
:''Note: Table lists in alphabetical order.''
Group A (North)
Group B (North and Central)
Group C (South)
League tables
Group A (North)
Group B (North and Central)
Group C (South)
Promotion play-offs
Preliminary phase
Final phase
:''Semifinals on 22 and 29 May 2016, finals on 5 and 12 June 2016.''
Pisa
Pisa ( , or ) is a city and ''comune'' in Tuscany, central Italy, straddling the Arno just before it empties into the Ligurian Sea. It is the capital city of the Province of Pisa. Although Pisa is known worldwide for its leaning tower, the cit ...
promoted to
Serie B.
Relegation play-outs
''Play-outs on 21 and 28 May 2016, loser on aggregate is relegated. If tied on aggregate, lower-placed team is relegated.''
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:2015-16 Lega Pro
Serie C seasons
3
Italy