Women’s senior national team project unveiled. Domenichetti: “Emotional to be part of it”

You could call it Day Zero, even if, to be precise, a few weeks ago there had already been a preliminary meeting between federation officials, staff and players, held in the press room of the San Marino Stadium. That same room today hosted the official media presentation – and more broadly, the public launch – of the women’s senior national team. Whether we define it Day Zero or Day One, there is no doubt that 13 April 2026 will go down as the start of a new chapter in the history of Sammarinese football. And it is exactly from this point that FSGC President Marco Tura begins as he opens the press conference dedicated to the newest of San Marino’s national teams – but only after a greeting and words of congratulations delivered to those present by Gianluca Famigli, in the name and on behalf of FIFA. “This is a historic event,” begins Tura. “We are embarking on a journey that will soon allow us to present ourselves before the footballing Europe in a sector we had never been able to develop, despite our long-standing ambition to do so. The reason, as is well known, was above all the limited number of active women players. Over time, however, things have changed and it was almost a natural – if not inevitable – consequence to turn this progress into an ambitious and concrete project. We are under no illusions: the challenges have not magically disappeared. Two in particular remain. The first concerns facilities, which have never been sufficient in number to fully meet the extensive footballing activity on the Titano. Nevertheless, through careful and intelligent planning of those facilities, we are confident we can meet all the demands. The second challenge – and I would also say opportunity – concerns the continuity of the project we are launching today. As is well known, one of the essential requirements for having a senior national team is an internal league – in this case, a women’s league. Creating it will not be straightforward, but there is strong political and sporting commitment in this direction and I am convinced that all stakeholders, including Sammarinese clubs, will pull in the right direction so that this objective, too, becomes reality.”

Sitting alongside the president of the San Marino FA is the woman who will be at the helm of this pioneering side: Giulia Domenichetti, a former standout of the Italian national teams in both football and futsal and head coach of San Marino Academy’s first team in the 2022-23 season. “These first steps are marked by strong feelings of confidence and enthusiasm,” continues President Tura. “Confidence above all in the quality of the people who have worked and will work on its development, from the leadership through to the technical area. In this regard, I am particularly grateful that the players of our women’s senior national team can count on the extensive on‑field experience of someone like Giulia Domenichetti, a great former player and now a coach of proven and wide‑ranging ability, having shown she can perform at a high level both in 11‑a‑side football and in futsal. She is undoubtedly the right person at the right time to drive forward a project in which we firmly believe.”

It is only natural at this point that the ‘ball’ should pass to the Head Coach: “I am very happy to be back in the Sammarinese football environment and I am particularly proud that my name was among those considered for this project: it shows that, during my time at San Marino Academy, I left behind a positive impression. For my part, I also cherish wonderful memories of that experience, along with deep esteem and respect for those who allowed me to live it. The role of national team head coach is something very special. Even when I was coaching San Marino Academy, I heard talk of this project, which at the time did not seem close to becoming reality. Instead, things have moved forward quickly and today it is truly emotional for me to be part of all this.” Asked what feelings a national team player should naturally embrace, her answer is immediate: “Pride: pride in representing your country and an entire movement. For me, it was an incredibly strong feeling when I played for the national team, and I am sure these girls will also respond positively to the same kind of call. I already sensed clear signs of this when I had my first talks with them. You could even say that they were the first to convey to me a powerful sense of belonging and pride in this shirt which, in fact, they have yet to wear for the very first time. For many of them, what is happening these days is a dream come true. And that is something very powerful, never to be underestimated.”

Only a few dozen metres – and a few minutes – separate the press conference from the first official training session. This evening, on the pitch of the San Marino Stadium, the group will carry out its first drills under the guidance of Giulia Domenichetti. Speaking about this “newborn” phase of the women’s national team, she highlights a few key ideas: “I think that at the beginning it will be important for me to get to know the girls well on a personal level too, and to understand their journeys up to this point. We are only at the very start of a path that will have many stages. We will also have to take into account the specific characteristics of a national team like San Marino: recently established and still with small numbers, albeit growing. We will need to show great respect for that reality. But, as I have already said to this group, we will all work to turn today’s limitations into opportunities. Nothing should ever stop us or push us off the path we have set for ourselves. That applies to the players on the pitch, but first and foremost to us on the staff.”

Also at the top table are Federal Councillors Gianluca Angelini and Pierangelo Manzaroli, Heads of the FSGC Women’s Football Department. “Today’s event comes at a crucial moment for Sammarinese football. – explains Manzaroli – In 2026, for the first time, two women’s national teams will take to the field in UEFA competitions: the Under-19s, who recently hosted Round 2 of the qualifiers, and the Under-16s, who will play the Development Tournament in North Macedonia in May. The activities of the women’s national teams, which began two years ago with the Under‑16 Development Tournament, are taking another fundamental step forward today. The women’s senior national team is not just a team; it is a project focused on growth, inclusion and the future. We want to provide concrete opportunities for girls, build on the work of the last ten years carried out in the Academy and create a strong identity, both on and off the pitch. We know it will take time and commitment, but the direction is clear. This is a rapidly growing movement: more and more families are bringing young girls to the pitch to take part in new grassroots football projects. One example is the UEFA Playmakers sessions, the indoor winter activities and the multidisciplinary approach introduced this year with the inclusion of swimming in our grassroots sports programmes. All of this is receiving great appreciation and we believe that this historic day for Sammarinese sport can give tangible value to this growing enthusiasm and help bring about a cultural and sporting shift in properly recognising women’s football, in line with what has been happening for some time in the rest of Europe and around the world. The appointment of Head Coach Giulia Domenichetti and her staff is fully in keeping with this vision, because experience, expertise and versatility are a fundamental added value for the whole project. Today we are not just unveiling a national team: we are presenting a vision for the future of women’s football in San Marino.”

President Tura also dwells on the off‑field implications of this new reality as he brings the conversation to a close: “The creation of the women’s senior national team is not only significant from a sporting standpoint. It is also a concrete demonstration of the San Marino FA’s commitment to being at the forefront of the fight for gender equality, as well as for full respect of women in every sense. Football is an extraordinary social tool when approached with the right mindset. Without going into detail, it is well known that in recent years in San Marino it has unfortunately been necessary to adopt countermeasures to redress certain inequities at every level. We strongly believe in the social value of sport and we want to be a constant point of reference in promoting the fullest possible fairness in our country. Women as much as men, and female players as much as male players, must have the same opportunities and see the same rights recognised. That is also why we are here today.”

Thirty players have been called up for the first training camp. The national team staff, led by Giulia Domenichetti, is made up of Filippo Zaghini (Assistant Coach), Fabio Deluigi (Fitness Coach), Marcello Teodorani (Goalkeeping Coach), Francesco Vagnini (Match Analyst), Giulia Vergnani (Physiotherapist) and Martina Agarici (Physiotherapist).