CAN Serie A and B has made official the changes to the referee roster for the 2026/27 season, sanctioning the exit of Rosario Abisso and the entry of five new elements from Serie C. The appointee has cut out the deadwood, and the most important name to pay the price is precisely that of Abisso, a referee who has played on the pitches of the top flight but who is no longer part of the technical plans for the next two years. To compensate for the departures, five targeted promotions arrive from the Serie C championship, a necessary movement to replenish the ranks of a staff subjected to strong logistical and psychological stress.
This renewal operation aims to instill freshness in a group that has shown signs of weakening in recent seasons, trying to balance experience and young age. The five new entries will immediately have to demonstrate that they know how to handle the pressure of Italian arenas, moving from the minor categories to the cauldron of Serie A and B without too long an adaptation period. CAN's choices do not come by chance, but respond to a logic of meritocracy and structural necessity.
The exclusion of Abisso signals a decisive change of direction towards profiles considered more reliable or with greater margin for growth, while the promotions from Serie C represent an investment in the future of the Italian refereeing movement. The message is clear: no position is guaranteed, performance matters more than length of service. With the squad defined, attention now shifts to the pre-season meeting and the athletic tests that will establish the definitive suitability of the members.
The new referees should have already started preparing to face the challenges of the 2026/27 calendar, which promises sparks from the first days. The real litmus test will be to see how these five promoted players will be able to integrate into the top flight mechanism and whether the "cleaning" carried out on the squad will bring the desired results in terms of quality and reduction of errors. The turnover imposed by CAN is part of a broader context of refereeing reforms initiated after the controversies of recent years.
Italian football has suffered a series of challenges over controversial decisions, especially in crucial matches, which have undermined confidence in the impartiality of match officials. The move to exclude a long-standing referee like Abisso, known for his constant presence in big matches, underlines the desire to cut ties with the past and rely on new faces, possibly less exposed to prejudicial criticism. The five promotions from Serie C, however, represent a sign of trust towards the academy, where the young referees have demonstrated superior athletic and technical preparation compared to previous generations.
Another key element is the timing: CAN has accelerated the renewal process to prevent controversies over race direction from becoming a recurring theme right from the first races. The objective is clear: to present a renewed and more transparent refereeing body from the start of the season, minimizing the risk of disputes that could taint the image of the championship. The next few weeks will be decisive in evaluating whether this strategy will be successful or whether, on the contrary, the new referees will find themselves unprepared in the face of media and fan pressure.
The turnover is not limited to a simple replacement of names. CAN has introduced more stringent criteria for evaluating performances, with a scoring system that takes into account not only technical errors but also the psychological management of high-voltage matches. This approach made the exclusion of Abisso inevitable, whose average errors in the last two years have stood at values higher than the average of its colleagues.
At the same time, the five promoted from Serie C arrive with a CV of matches without serious disputes, a fact that CAN has interpreted as a sign of immediate reliability. The next few weeks will also be decisive for the clubs. Serie A and B clubs will have to review their communication strategies with match directors, getting used to more direct language and less obvious decisions.
The fans, accustomed to seeing Abisso in decisive matches, will have to deal with lesser-known referees, which could fuel new controversies in the first few days. The risk is that the promised freshness turns into inexperience under pressure, with direct consequences on the progress of the matches. The reactions in the refereeing world were not long in coming.
The president of CAN, Luigi Nastasi, underlined how these choices were made "with great responsibility and after a careful evaluation of performance". Nastasi added that "Italian football cannot afford to remain anchored to old patterns" and that "merit must be the only criterion". Some representatives of Serie A and B clubs also expressed satisfaction with the renewal, while recognizing that the real test will be the start of the championship.
What changes now? The 2026/27 season promises to be an experimental laboratory, where the quality of the match direction could become a determining factor in the progress of the teams. Clubs will have to adapt to match officials less accustomed to the spotlight, while fans will have to consider whether the freshness brought by the new referees will translate into more consistent and less contested decisions. Read at FCInter1908
Why this matters
The decisions of the CAN are not mere bureaucratic matters, but directly affect the credibility and spectacularity of the championships. Excluding an expert referee like Abisso and introducing new elements is a gamble that alters the balance of the matches. The quality of match direction determines the outcome of matches and fans' trust in the Italian football system, making these appointments crucial to the sporting integrity of next season. In a football increasingly under the spotlight, the ability to manage pressure and make quick and correct decisions will be the true yardstick for new referees. CAN has made a courageous choice, but success will depend on the ability of the new referees to demonstrate that they deserve their jobs within a short timeframe.
Frequently asked
Who was excluded from CAN Serie A and B?
Rosario Abisso is the main referee who has been dismissed and will not be part of the CAN Serie A and B for the 2026/27 season.
How many referees have been promoted from Serie C?
Five referees have been promoted from Serie C to replenish the ranks of CAN Serie A and B in the next sporting season.
What is the goal of these decisions?
The objective is to renew the refereeing body, improving the quality of match direction and ensuring turnover based on merit and performance.
How were the new referees selected?
The selection is based on technical, athletic and psychological evaluations, with a focus on profiles considered more reliable or with greater room for growth compared to veterans.
What are the next steps for the new referees?
The five promoted players will have to pass pre-season meetings and athletic tests to obtain final eligibility before the start of the 2026/27 season.
What changes for clubs and fans?
Clubs will have to adapt to match officials less accustomed to the spotlight, while fans will have to consider whether the freshness brought by the new referees will translate into more consistent and less contested decisions.
