The origins
The history of Sassuolo’s women’s team is rooted in one of the most successful clubs in Italian football, Reggiana Calcio Women. Founded in 1976, the Emilia-based team enjoyed their heyday in the late 1980s and early 1990s, winning three Scudetti (1989/90, 1990/91, 1992/93) and three Coppa Italia titles (1992, 1993, 2010).
They were led by one of the most iconic figures in Italian football, Elisabetta Vignotto, who ended her playing career there and became president in 1995. Inducted into the Italian Football Hall of Fame in 2018, Elisabetta “Betty” is now honorary president and brand ambassador of Sassuolo Women.
The Black&green project
In 2015, U.S. Sassuolo Calcio concretely responded to the FIGC’s invitation to invest in women’s football, founding the first Under-12 team and launching a project that would grow over time. It was a forward-thinking and pioneering decision, made at a time when the movement was still seeking recognition and structure. This commitment was confirmed in the 2016/17 season, when Reggiana Calcio Women changed its name to Sassuolo Calcio Women, effectively joining the black&green family. In that very season, the new black&green First Team were promoted to Serie A. After their first season in the top divison, which ended with them avoiding relegation in the play-offs, they began to establish themself on the national scene, finishing fifth in 2018/19.
In 2019, at the end of a gradual but decisive process, U.S. Sassuolo Calcio officially acquired the Serie A women’s title, integrating the women’s sector into the club’s technical and management structure. It was the beginning of a new phase, based on identity, professionalism and long-term planning.
The results confirm the solidity of this path: third place in Serie A in 2020/21, fourth in 2023/24, a semi-final in the Italian Super Cup (2021/22) and a semi-final in Coppa Italia (2025). Sassuolo is now a reference on the national scene, capable of shaping young talent and proudly representing the club’s values.
Women’s academy
With over 280 registered players and a structured technical chain, the black&green academy is a pillar of the project. Activities take place between Sassuolo and Reggio Emilia, consolidating the club’s presence in the area and its ties with the local community.
According to official data, in the 2024/25 season, Sassuolo recorded the highest number of registered players among Serie A teams in the youth sector, confirming its position as a leader in Italian women’s youth football.
In recent years, the U19 team has reached the Final Four of the Primavera 1 championship twice (runners-up in 2023/24 and semi-finalists in the following season), also reaching the semi-finals of the Coppa Italia Primavera in 2024/25.
Many girls from the black&green academy are also key players for the youth national teams, further confirming the quality of the development programme offered. Several young players who came through the academy have already made their debut in the First Team, demonstrating the central role of the black&green academy in the future of the Club.
