Club Profile
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Overview
Feralpisalò was an Italian football club representing the towns of Salò and Lonato del Garda, both located in the province of Brescia, Lombardy. Established in 2009, the club competed primarily in Serie C, the third tier of Italian football, for the majority of its existence, spending thirteen seasons at that level and one campaign in Serie B. The team operated until 2025, when it underwent a structural transformation that effectively ended its identity as Feralpisalò.
History
The club was formed in the summer of 2009 through the merger of two local sides: A.C. Salò Valsabbia, founded in 1985 (originally as A.C. Salò Benaco), and A.C. Feralpi Lonato, established in 1963 under the name Pejo Lonato. The latter had been renamed following its acquisition by the Feralpi Group, a steel manufacturing company that played a decisive role in orchestrating the merger and funding the new entity. Giuseppe Pasini, a leading figure within the group, assumed the presidency of the newly created club.
Due to the lack of an adequate stadium in Lonato del Garda, the newly formed side chose to base itself at the Stadio Lino Turina in Salò. Retaining the sporting title of Salò Valsabbia allowed the club to enter the 2009–10 Lega Pro Seconda Divisione, where it made an immediate impression by finishing fourth with only five defeats. However, its promotion hopes were ended in the play-off semi-finals by Legnano.
The following season proved more successful, as Feralpisalò secured promotion to the third tier after defeating Pro Patria in the play-off final with a 3–2 aggregate score. In its debut campaign at that level in 2011–12, the club narrowly avoided relegation, finishing thirteenth. Stability followed in subsequent seasons, with mid-table finishes including tenth place in 2012–13 and ninth in 2013–14, the latter earning a play-off berth, although the team was eliminated in the opening round by Pro Vercelli.
Across the mid-2010s, the club established itself as a consistent Serie C side. It achieved sixth place in 2014–15 and recorded consecutive eighth-place finishes in 2015–16 and 2016–17. In the 2017–18 season, Feralpisalò once again reached the play-offs, defeating Alessandria before being eliminated by Catania in the quarter-finals. The following year marked further progress, as the club finished fourth and advanced to the semi-finals, where it was knocked out by Triestina.
In the seasons that followed, Feralpisalò remained competitive in the promotion race. A sixth-place finish in 2019–20 was followed by a fifth-place finish in 2020–21, where the team progressed through preliminary rounds before being eliminated by Alessandria. In 2021–22, after finishing third, the club reached the play-off semi-finals once more, defeating Pescara and Reggiana before losing to Palermo.
The 2022–23 campaign marked a historic turning point. Under manager Stefano Vecchi, the team gradually climbed the table after an inconsistent start and eventually secured first place in its group. On 8 April 2023, a decisive victory combined with a rival’s defeat confirmed promotion to Serie B with two matches to spare, marking the first time a club from the Brescia province outside the main city reached the second tier of Italian football.
However, the club’s first experience in Serie B during the 2023–24 season proved challenging, as it finished nineteenth and was relegated immediately, recording the first relegation in its history. In 2024–25, Feralpisalò responded with a strong campaign, finishing third in Serie C and achieving a club-record 72 points. Despite this, promotion was not secured, as the team was eliminated early in the national play-off stage by Crotone.
In the summer of 2025, a major restructuring took place. President Giuseppe Pasini transferred the club’s sporting title to the city of Brescia following the collapse of the local team due to administrative issues. The club was subsequently rebranded as Union Brescia, effectively bringing the Feralpisalò identity to an end.
Competition Performance
Throughout its relatively short history, Feralpisalò established itself as a reliable and competitive side within Serie C. The club consistently achieved mid-table or play-off positions, with its strongest performances occurring between 2017 and 2023. During this period, it frequently qualified for the promotion play-offs, reaching the quarter-finals in 2018 and the semi-finals in both 2019 and 2022.
The pinnacle of its competitive achievements came in the 2022–23 season, when it won its Serie C group title and secured automatic promotion to Serie B. This success was particularly notable given the competitive nature of the division, which included historically significant clubs such as Padova, Vicenza, and Triestina. The promotion also marked a rare achievement for a club representing smaller towns in Italian football.
Despite this breakthrough, the club struggled to adapt to the higher level, finishing nineteenth in Serie B in 2023–24 and returning to Serie C after a single season. Its final campaign in 2024–25 demonstrated continued competitiveness, as it recorded its highest-ever points total in Serie C, although it ultimately failed to secure promotion through the play-offs.
Stadium
Feralpisalò primarily played its home matches at the Stadio Lino Turina in Salò, a modest multi-purpose venue with a capacity of 2,364 spectators. The stadium featured a natural grass pitch and was encircled by an athletics track. It served as the club’s main base throughout its existence.
In the 2012–13 season, regulatory requirements briefly forced the club to consider relocating to the larger Stadio Mario Rigamonti in Brescia due to minimum capacity rules. However, a subsequent adjustment to these regulations allowed Feralpisalò to continue playing in Salò.
During the 2023–24 Serie B season, the Turina was deemed unsuitable for second-tier standards, prompting the club to temporarily relocate its home fixtures to the Stadio Leonardo Garilli in Piacenza. This move reflected the infrastructural challenges faced by smaller clubs competing at higher levels of Italian football.
Identity
The club’s identity was closely tied to its origins as a merger between two teams, which was reflected in its colours and symbolism. Feralpisalò adopted green and blue as its primary colours, combining elements from its predecessor clubs. Over time, the design of its kits evolved, including a shift towards predominantly blue shirts with green accents after 2019, when the club began producing its own kits without an external manufacturer. The traditional split of green and blue returned for its Serie B debut season in 2023–24.
The club’s crest also underwent changes, initially featuring heraldic elements such as two lions derived from the coats of arms of Salò and Lonato del Garda. A redesigned badge introduced in 2019 adopted a more modern style, incorporating stylised lion imagery and simplified graphical elements.
The official anthem of the club was “Forza Feralpisalò!”, performed by Giansebastiano Chiodaroli, which contributed to its local identity.
Support for the club was relatively limited due to its recent formation and the small population of the areas it represented. Average attendances typically ranged between 500 and 600 spectators, although larger crowds occasionally attended high-profile matches. The fanbase was predominantly centred in Salò, particularly after Lonato del Garda re-established its own local team. Organised supporter groups included Vecchia Guardia Feralpi Salò and Fossa dei Pirati, both of which followed the team regularly.
The club’s ownership by the Feralpi industrial group, under the leadership of Giuseppe Pasini, was a defining aspect of its identity. The company’s backing provided financial stability and enabled the club’s gradual rise through the Italian football pyramid.
Rivalries
Feralpisalò did not possess a single dominant rivalry comparable to those of more established clubs, but it maintained several competitive and regional tensions. Notable rivalries developed with teams such as Cremonese, Giana Erminio, Alessandria, Lumezzane, and Trento, largely driven by league encounters and supporter interactions.
A more complex relationship existed with Brescia. From 2018 onwards, tensions arose between Feralpisalò’s ownership and Brescia supporters, particularly due to public statements made by Giuseppe Pasini and his perceived affiliations with other clubs. This situation intensified until 2025, when Pasini assumed control of the footballing structure in Brescia by transferring Feralpisalò’s sporting title, effectively merging the two identities in practice.
On a more positive note, Feralpisalò supporters maintained friendly relations with fans of Casale, Castel San Pietro, and later Palermo, as well as cordial links with Südtirol and Catanzaro. These connections reflected the social dimension of lower-league football culture in Italy.