The 1926–27 Prima Divisione was the 1st edition of a second tier tournament of the Italian Football Championship which was organized at national level.

The Carta di Viareggio

In 1926 the Viareggio Charter reformed the Italian football organization. This important document introduced in the Italian football the status of the non-amatour player receiving a reimbursement of expenses. In this way FIGC managed to mislead FIFA, that defended strenuously sportive amateurism.

The fascist Charter transformed the old Northern League into an authoritarian and national committee, the Direttorio Divisioni Superiori, appointed by the FIGC. The second level championship, which took the diminished name of Prima Divisione, consequently had to be reformed to give space to a group of clubs from the southern half of Italy.

Teams selection The old Northern Seconda Divisione second-level championship had four local groups, so it was decided to reserve one of them for the clubs from Southern Italy in the new national Prima Divisione. More, some teams from the South were put in the first level championship too, so some Northern clubs were relegated from it. Consequently, solely half of the clubs of the old Northern second level joined the revamped cadet tournament, to give space to their Southern counterparts.

In Southern Italy the situation was different. There, the previous reform of 1921-1922 did not take place, so the pyramid of 1912 had been maintained, with the Prima Divisione, former Prima Categoria, as the sole tournament above the regional level. So, in a lexical continuity, the old Prima Divisione remained the bulk of new one, excluding three promoted teams and the last relegated ones, but with the relevant difference of the elimination of the regional qualifications.

29 Northern clubs 11 Southern clubs 7 worst clubs of the Northern League's First Division 11 out of 20 clubs of the Southern League's First Division 22 best clubs of the Northern League's Second Division

Group A ClassificationPtsPWDLGFGA 1.Novara3018 ? ? ? ? ? 2. Biellese2418 3. Legnano2318 4. Sestrese1918 5. US Milanese1818 6. Savona1618 7. Spezia1618 8. Derthona1618 9. Asti1418 10. Speranza418

Novara promoted to 1927–28 Divisione Nazionale. Speranza Savona relegated, later merged into Savona.

Group B ClassificationPtPWDLGFGA 1.Pro Patria2718 ? ? ? ? ? 2. Atalanta2618 3. Triestina2418 4. Treviso2018 5. Fiumana1918 6. Venezia1718 7. Mantova1518 8. Monfalcone1418 9. Comense1218 10. Udinese 618

Pro Patria promoted to 1927–28 Divisione Nazionale. Udinese later readmitted to fill ceased memberships.

Results Pro Patria resultsAndata Ritorno1-1 Pro Patria - Monfalcone 3-10-2 Mantova - Pro Patria 0-21-0 Pro Patria - Udinese 2-10-1 Fiumana - Pro Patria 1-22-1 Atalanta - Pro Patria 0-72-3 Pro Patria - Triestina 0-26-1 Pro Patria - Comense 1-01-1 Venezia - Pro Patria 0-15-2 Pro Patria - Treviso 1-1

Group C ClassificationPtPWDLGFGA 1.Reggiana2818 13 2 3 43 17 2. SPAL2518 11 3 4 42 26 3. Pistoiese2418 11 2 5 39 22 4. Parma2018 8 4 6 27 25 5. Prato1818 7 4 7 30 28 6. Fiorentina1718 7 3 8 24 30 7. Lucchese1518 7 1 10 27 27 8. Pisa1218 5 2 11 16 33 9. Carpi1118 4 3 11 18 36 10. Ancona1018 3 4 11 14 24

Reggiana promoted to 1927–28 Divisione Nazionale. Anconitana later readmitted to fill ceased memberships.

Results

Day 13 October 1926 19 December 19263-1 Fiorentina-Pisa 0-10-1 Lucchese-Parma 0-12-1 Reggiana-Prato 1-1 - - - - - -

Day 424 October 1926 9 gen. 19273-1 Carpi-Fiorentina 0-23-1 Reggiana-Lucchese 3-22-0 Pisa-Prato 0-3 - - - - - -

Day 722 November 1926 6 March 19272-1 Anconitana-Fiorentina 0-10-2 Pisa-Spal 0-22-0 Reggiana-Parma 0-10-4 Carpi-Lucchese 2-1 - - -

Day 210 October 1926 26 December 19260-1 Reggiana-Fiorentina 4-33-1 Spal-Lucchese 0-21-2 Pisa-Pistoiese 0-4 - - - - - -

Day 57 November 1926 16 gen. 19273-1 Spal-Fiorentina 2-22-1 Lucchese-Prato 1-51-0 Anconitana-Pisa 1-1 5-1 Reggiana-Carpi 1-0 - - -

Day 828 November 1926 14 March 19272-1 Lucchese-Fiorentina 0-21-2 Pisa-Reggiana 0-4 - - - - - - - - -

Day 317 October 1926 2 gen. 19271-1 Fiorentina-Parma 0-52-1 Lucchese-Anconitana 5-01-1 Carpi-Pisa 0-3 1-4 Pistoiese-Reggiana 0-3 - - -

Day 614 November 1926 13 February 19273-2 Fiorentina-Pistoiese 0-22-0 Lucchese-Pisa 0-21-0 Spal-Reggiana 1-6 - - - - - -

Day 95 December 1926 20 March 19271-1 Prato-Fiorentina 0-20-0 Lucchese-Pistoiese 1-34-1 Parma-Pisa 0-20-0 Anconitana-Reggiana 0-3 - - -

Group D ClassificationPtPWDLGFGA 1.Lazio3018 15 0 3 34 11 2. Liberty Bari2918 12 5 1 34 12 3. Bagnolese2518 11 3 4 42 16 4. Casertana2318 9 5 4 28 18 5. Pro Italia Taranto1818 8 2 8 20 19 6. Ideale Bari1818 7 4 7 20 20 7. Foggia1618 5 6 7 19 20 8. Audace Taranto1118 5 1 12 13 35 9. Roman1018 3 4 11 23 39 10. Palermo Retired after nine matchdays for bankruptcy.018 0 0 18 1 44

Events

Lazio promoted to 1927–28 Divisione Nazionale. Bankruptcies Ilva Bagnolese and Casertana both bankrupted. Palermo relegated and bankrupted. Mergers Pro Italia Taranto merged with Audace Taranto into Taranto. Roman merged with Alba and Fortitudo into Roma.

Final Group FinalsPtPWDLGFGA 1.Novara86 3 2 1 20 10 2. Pro Patria66 3 0 3 11 12 3. Reggiana56 2 1 3 9 10 4. Lazio56 2 1 3 11 19

Novara champions 1926-27.

Results

Day 1April 17, 1927 May 15, 19273-2 Lazio-Pro Patria 2-34-2 Novara-Reggiana 1-1

Day 2April 24, 1927 May 8, 19272-1 Pro Patria-Novara 2-33-1 Reggiana-Lazio 0-2

Day 3May 1, 1927 May 22, 19273-1 Reggiana-Pro Patria0-12-2 Lazio-Novara 1-9

References