Napoli Women: 4 points penalized Serie A Women 2026-27
Napoli Women, penalized by 4 points in the 2027-28 Women's Serie A
The National Federal Tribunal imposes a penalty of four points for tax irregularities, while the president and CEO suffer three-month disqualifications. The club announces an immediate appeal.
Napoli Women start with a four-point deficit in the 2027/28 Women's season. The penalty, imposed by the National Federal Court for tax irregularities dating back to the first months of 2026, was confirmed by the disciplinary section of the FIGC. The club, chaired by Raffaele Bifulco and led by CEO Alessandro Fistarol, will also suffer the loss of the two top management, both disqualified for three months.
The decision hits Napoli Women at a crucial moment, with the squad preparing to take the field for a season already full of expectations. The penalty, to be served throughout the entire championship, risks compromising from the first days the race towards objectives such as qualification for the European cups or salvation. The club immediately reacted by announcing an appeal against the sentence, in the hope of obtaining a review of the provision.
The National Federal Court justified the sanction with the failure to regularize some tax obligations, an affair that dragged on for months and which now ends with a heavy penalty. The disqualification of Bifulco and Fistarol adds further instability to a club already struggling with a management and sporting transition. The president stated that the club will do everything possible to overturn the decision, underlining its commitment to ensuring transparency and fairness.
What happens now? Napoli Women will have to face the first matches of the season with four points less, while Bifulco and Fistarol will be forced to temporarily leave their roles. The appeal could lead to a review of the penalty, but in the meantime the team will have to demonstrate resilience on the pitch.
The next official move will come with the appeal hearing, expected in the coming months. The penalty is part of a context of growing attention by the FIGC towards women's clubs, with more stringent controls on budgets and obligations. Napoli Women is not the only club to have to deal with sanctions of this type, but the extent of the penalty risks altering the balance of a championship already characterized by growing competitiveness.
The matter also raises questions about the ability of smaller clubs to manage the transition towards professionalization and transparency, in a league where economic margins are often slim. The recent reforms introduced by the FIGC for women's football, including the obligation to certify financial statements and the review of sustainability parameters, aim to raise standards but risk penalizing those clubs that, despite good intentions, struggle to keep up. Napoli Women thus finds itself having to manage an administrative crisis just as it tries to consolidate its position in a championship that is becoming increasingly demanding from an economic and sporting point of view.
The four-point penalty is not only a sporting blow, but also a political signal. The FIGC is using sanctions to accelerate the professionalization of women's football, a sector that until a few years ago operated in a semi-amateur regime. Napoli Women, with its penalty, becomes an emblematic case: a club that has invested significantly in women's football but which now has to deal with stricter rules and a bureaucracy that is struggling to keep up.
The affair highlights the paradox of a system that demands absolute transparency from structures which, due to their size and resources, cannot afford margins of error. The precedent of other clubs, such as Parma Women's in 2023, shows how penalties can have knock-on effects: from the loss of sponsors to difficulties in recruiting high-level players, to a decline in fan confidence. Napoli Women will have to move on a double track: defending their position on the pitch and, at the same time, rebuilding administrative credibility.
The appeal is not just a legal strategy, but a necessity to prevent the penalty from becoming an economic and sporting boomerang. President Bifulco has already announced that the club is also evaluating internal measures to strengthen fiscal controls and prevent future irregularities. A move which, if completed, could be seen as a first step towards rehabilitation.
However, time is running out: the season will start in a few weeks and every day lost is one less day to prepare the team for the battle that awaits them. The National Federal Tribunal underlined that the sanction is proportionate to the seriousness of the irregularities, but also to the need to send a clear message to all clubs. Napoli Women, although not an economic giant, represents an important piece of Italian women's football.
His penalization is not only a problem for the club, but for the entire movement, which risks losing a competitive club and an example of growth in Southern Italy. What happens now? Napoli Women will have to face the first matches of the season with four points less, while Bifulco and Fistarol will be forced to temporarily leave their roles.
The appeal could lead to a review of the penalty, but in the meantime the team will have to demonstrate resilience on the pitch. The next official move will come with the appeal hearing, expected in the coming months. Read at Sky Sport Italia
Why this matters
A four-point penalty at the start can overturn the hierarchies of a season. For Napoli Women, the penalty translates into an immediate handicap in an already competitive championship, while suspensions at the top eliminate managerial continuity. The ability to react on the pitch and in the legal arena will determine whether the club will be able to limit the damage or risk sinking into the fight for salvation. The affair also highlights the structural challenges of Italian women's football, where forced professionalisation risks penalizing those who do not yet have the tools to adapt to the new rules. The penalization of Napoli Women thus becomes a test for the FIGC: will the system be able to balance rigor and sustainability, avoiding sinking clubs which, despite their errors, represent the future of the movement?
Frequently asked
Why did Napoli Women receive a 4 point penalty?
The National Federal Court sanctioned the club for irregularities in the payment of taxes at the beginning of 2026. The decision was taken by the federal disciplinary section.
Who are Raffaele Bifulco and Alessandro Fistarol?
Raffaele Bifulco is the president of Napoli Women, while Alessandro Fistarol holds the role of CEO. Both received a three-month ban for the tax affair.
When will the penalty come into force?
The four-point penalty will be applied in the 2027/28 Serie A Women's season. Napoli Women will therefore start with a four-point deficit compared to the other teams.
Will Napoli Women appeal?
Yes, the club has already announced its intention to appeal against the decision of the National Federal Court. The hope is to obtain the cancellation or reduction of the penalty.
How could this penalty affect Napoli Women's season?
Starting with four points less complicates the fight for ambitious goals, such as qualification for European cups or salvation. The penalty could force the team into a recovery process right from the first matchdays.
What are the next steps for Napoli Women?
In addition to the appeal, the club will have to manage the absences of Bifulco and Fistarol during the three-month suspension. The priority will be to maintain competitiveness in the field and ensure administrative stability.
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