Arena Garibaldi – Stadio Romeo Anconetani

The Arena Garibaldi – Stadio Romeo Anconetani is the home of Pisa Sporting Club, a small but historic Tuscan ground that hosts top-flight football for the first time in 34 years in 2025/26 — Pisa's longest absence from Serie A in their history, ended at last by promotion at the end of 2024/25. Located on Via Antonio Cocchi in the Porta a Lucca district about 2 km north of Pisa's famous Leaning Tower, the stadium dates to 1919 and currently operates at a UEFA-approved capacity of 12,508 (the stadium's broader maximum is closer to 25,000 across restricted-access standing areas). It's been known commercially as the Cetilar Arena since July 2024 under a pharmaceutical-company sponsorship, but everyone calls it the Arena Garibaldi after the Italian unification hero, or simply 'Pisa' to its fans.

The second part of the name honours Romeo Anconetani, the eccentric Pisa chairman and owner during the club's 1980s Serie A peak (and the unforgettable salt-throwing pre-match ritual he made famous). For Italian football romantics, a trip to the Arena Garibaldi is a journey into the lower-mid-tier soul of calcio — a compact, vertical ground in the shadow of Pisa's Renaissance city, with Tuscan food, a small but ferocious tifoseria, and the unique chance to combine elite football with one of the world's most visited tourist landmarks. Compared to the monumental scale of San Siro or the heritage architecture of Stadio Franchi in Florence, the Arena Garibaldi is a different proposition altogether — intimate, defiant, and a long-awaited celebration of return.

The Arena Garibaldi opened on 8 June 1919 as the Campo Sportivo Pisano, hosting Pisa SC's earliest competitive fixtures. The ground was renamed the Campo Littorio in 1931 during the fascist era, and again in 1949 to the Arena Garibaldi — taking its name from a smaller cycling/athletics arena that had occupied an adjacent site and that itself was named after Giuseppe Garibaldi, the central hero of Italian unification.

The Romeo Anconetani Era

The stadium's modern fame is tied to Romeo Anconetani, who served as Pisa's chairman 1978-1994. Under Anconetani's eccentric leadership, Pisa rose to Serie A multiple times and competed at the top of Italian football. He was famous for an unforgettable pre-match ritual: throwing salt onto the pitch as a charm against bad luck. After his death in 1999, the stadium was renamed in 2001 to Arena Garibaldi – Stadio Romeo Anconetani in tribute.

The 34-Year Wait and the 2025 Promotion

Pisa SC suffered repeated financial difficulties through the 1990s and 2000s, dropping as low as Serie D before painstakingly rebuilding. Their last Serie A campaign before this season ended in 1990/91. Promotion at the end of 2024/25 under coach Filippo Inzaghi ended a wait of 34 years — the longest top-flight absence in Pisa's history. The 2025/26 Serie A campaign at the Arena Garibaldi is, for older Pisani, the culmination of a generation of hope and frustration.

Modern Renovations and the Cetilar Naming

The stadium has undergone phased modernisation including all-seater conversion (2017-2019). The historical capacity of around 25,000 has been reduced to the 12,508 UEFA-approved figure to meet modern safety standards. In July 2024, pharmaceutical company Cetilar (an Italian SME) took over the commercial naming rights, with the venue called the Cetilar Arena in official sponsorship contexts. Most Italian and international media continue to use Arena Garibaldi.

How to Get Pisa SC Tickets

There are three main ways to attend a match at the Arena Garibaldi:

1. Official Club Tickets (Best Value)

Buy directly from pisasportingclub.com — general sale typically opens 2-3 weeks before kickoff. Prices range from €20 (Curva upper) to €120+ (Tribuna VIP central). Italian rules require nominative tickets with a matching photo ID. The 'Pisa Member' card unlocks earlier sales windows.

⚠️ Important: With the stadium's small 12,508 capacity, every match in Pisa's first Serie A season in 34 years sells out fast. Visits from Juventus, Inter, Milan, Napoli and Roma are oversubscribed weeks in advance.

2. Official Hospitality (Guaranteed Access)

Pisa SC hospitality is limited but the most reliable route:

• Tribuna VIP — central premium, from €150
• Premium Centrale — central lower-tier, from €180

Book via Pisa SC's hospitality desk through the official portal.

3. Third-Party Platforms (Sold-Out Matches)

For sold-out fixtures (which is most of them):

• LiveFootballTickets — Serie A specialists, from €50
• SeatPick — comparison platform

⚠️ Note: Italian nominative-ticket rules mean some resale tickets cannot be legally transferred. Verify the seller can re-issue in your name.

Arena Garibaldi Tour

Pisa SC's stadium tour offering is limited. Most international visitors instead combine matchday with the city's heritage attractions.

What's Available

• Occasional club historical exhibits showing Pisa's two pre-Serie A periods and the 1980s Anconetani era
• Pitch-side and dugout access when arranged
• Romeo Anconetani memorial within the stadium

Practical Details

• Schedule: Limited; check the club's site close to your visit
• Price: Adults around €10-15
• Languages: Italian, English (variable)

Booking

• Direct: pisasportingclub.com
• GetYourGuide
• Viator

Pro tip: With Pisa's Leaning Tower, Duomo and Piazza dei Miracoli a 25-minute walk away, the city itself is your tour. Combine matchday with the heritage trail for one of Italy's most distinctive football-and-tourism weekends.

Quick Tips

• Bring photo ID: Tickets are nominative
• Book extremely early: 12,508 capacity + first Serie A season in 34 years = constant sell-outs
• Combine with the tower: The Leaning Tower is 25 minutes' walk from the stadium
• Florence side-trip: Pisa-Florence is 50 minutes by train — combine with a Stadio Franchi match

Best Seats at Arena Garibaldi

The ground is a compact, tight bowl with the Curva Nord at one end (home of the Pisa ultras), the Curva Sud opposite, the Tribuna Centrale along one long side and the Gradinata opposite. Sections are tight by Serie A standards — the small capacity means every seat is reasonably close to the pitch.

Curva Nord (North End)

The historic home of the Pisa ultras. Compact, vertical, behind the goal. Prices typically €20-35 for Serie A. Atmosphere is exceptional given the small size — Pisa's tifoseria has grown louder with the return to Serie A.

Curva Sud (South End)

The opposite curve, traditionally allocated to away teams and additional Pisa supporters. Prices €20-35. Away allocation typically in the upper section.

Tribuna Centrale (Long Side, West)

The Tribuna Centrale runs along the west long side with the dressing room tunnel below. Includes Tribuna VIP (premium central). Pricing €50-100 (Lower Tier central), €35-65 (Upper Tier), with central sections most expensive. Best architectural views.

Gradinata (Long Side, East)

The Gradinata is the opposite long side. More affordable than the Tribuna Centrale. Pricing €30-60.

Premium & Hospitality

Pisa SC offers limited hospitality — the small stadium has constrained premium options. Tribuna VIP packages from around €150. Book via the club hospitality desk.

Accessibility

Limited but improving wheelchair-accessible seating with companion seats. Contact Pisa SC accessibility in advance.

Pro Tips

• Best atmosphere: Curva Nord lower — the Pisa ultras are concentrated and intense
• Best balance: Tribuna Centrale central, Lower Tier
• Best photographs: Tribuna Centrale upper, looking back toward the Tuscan landscape
• Away fans: Curva Sud upper
• Big matches: With the 12,508 capacity, every match against Juventus, Inter, Milan or Napoli sells out instantly
• Combine with the city: No Italian matchday combines better with a major tourist destination — the Leaning Tower is 25 minutes' walk away

A matchday at the Arena Garibaldi is one of Italian football's most distinctive intimate experiences — a small, vertical, defiant ground in a Tuscan university city famous for its Renaissance architecture and the world's most photographed tower.

What to Bring

Standard Italian league security. Bags larger than A4 (21cm × 30cm) are not permitted; small handbags and rucksacks are subject to search. Prohibited items include large backpacks, umbrellas with rigid handles, professional cameras with detachable lenses, selfie sticks, flares, glass and outside food/drink. Italian regulations require nominative tickets matched to a photo ID. Arrive 45-60 minutes before kickoff.

Pre-Match (2-3 hours before)

Pisa's compact city centre is a 25-minute walk from the stadium and serves as the main pre-match gathering point. Bars and trattorias along Borgo Stretto, Piazza dei Cavalieri and Lungarno fill with nerazzurri-clad supporters (Pisa's colours are black and blue, like Inter). Try Trattoria Sant'Omobono for Tuscan classics, Bottega del Gelato for excellent ice cream, or any of the small kiosks near the stadium selling panini con cinta senese (Tuscan cured pork) and bicchieri di Chianti. Many fans walk down via Via Antonio Cocchi from the centre, passing the famous Leaning Tower along the way — a unique pre-match route in world football. Pisa's Curva Nord tifo culture has reawakened with the return to Serie A.

Inside the Stadium

Gates open roughly 90 minutes before kickoff. The first sight from the upper Tribuna is a tight, intimate bowl with the Tuscan landscape visible beyond. Pre-match anthems include 'Pisa Pisa', 'Nerazzurri' (referencing Pisa's black-and-blue colours), and the historical 'Inno del Pisa'. The Curva Nord leads relentless singing — small in number compared to Italy's big clubs but extraordinarily intense for the venue size.

Food & Drink

Concession kiosks sell Tuscan matchday fare — schiacciate (Tuscan flatbread sandwiches with cured meats), panini con porchetta, slices of pizza, plus Peroni, Birra Moretti and local Pisa-brewed craft beers. Prices reasonable (around €5-7). Hospitality areas offer Tuscan tasting menus with Chianti.

After the Match

Post-match crowds funnel toward central Pisa along Via Antonio Cocchi. Allow 20-25 minutes for crowds to clear. The city centre stays animated until late — Piazza delle Vettovaglie is the student/young fan post-match hub, with cheap trattorias and aperitivo bars. Walking back past the Leaning Tower on a warm evening is one of Italy's most distinctive matchday rituals.

International Visitor Tips: Italian rules require nominative tickets matched to a photo ID. Combine the matchday with the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Duomo, the Camposanto Monumentale and the Piazza dei Miracoli UNESCO complex — pre-book the tower ticket weeks ahead. Pisa is one of football tourism's most unique destinations precisely because of this combination of small-club football and world-class heritage.

Where to Stay for Arena Garibaldi

Near the Stadium (Porta a Lucca)

Search hotels near Arena Garibaldi

The Porta a Lucca district is quietly residential with limited tourist accommodation. Most visitors stay near the Leaning Tower or in the historic centre for better food and atmosphere.

Hotel Bologna (Porta a Lucca, 1.0 km)

Mid-range three-star within walking distance of the stadium and the Leaning Tower. Comfortable rooms, on-site restaurant. Practical pick for match-focused trips.

Pisa Historic Centre (Recommended)

Search hotels in central Pisa

The historic centre around Piazza dei Cavalieri, Borgo Stretto and the Lungarni is the better choice for most visitors — walking distance to the Leaning Tower, the Duomo, the medieval university quarter and the famous Caffè dell'Ussero.

Royal Victoria Hotel (Lungarno, 1.5 km)

Four-star riverside hotel — the oldest hotel in Pisa (since 1837). Beloved by 19th-century travellers including Dickens, Ruskin and Theodore Roosevelt. Atmospheric base for combining football with Pisa heritage.

Grand Hotel Duomo (Piazza dei Miracoli, 1.5 km)

Four-star directly facing the Leaning Tower complex. Spectacular views, classic service, walking distance to the stadium (15-20 minutes). The matchday hotel par excellence.

Hotel Pisa Tower (Piazza dei Miracoli, 1.3 km)

Four-star design hotel with rooftop terrace and unmatched views of the Leaning Tower. Smaller and more boutique than the grand hotels.

Our Recommendation

For most visitors, stay in central Pisa near the Leaning Tower — the Grand Hotel Duomo or Royal Victoria offer atmospheric, walkable bases with the stadium 15-25 minutes away. Stadium-area Porta a Lucca hotels make sense only for purely match-focused trips. Pisa also pairs naturally with Florence for a Tuscan football weekend (50 minutes by train).