The Women’s National Team returned to Italy yesterday evening on a charter flight from Faro which stopped in Palma de Mallorca, where the local authorities checked the team’s health, Turin and finally Rome.

Following the announcement that Italy would be forfeiting the Algarve Cup final against Germany, the news broke that the Portuguese authorities had blocked all air traffic with Italy. In response to this, the FIGC got to work immediately, with President Gabriele Gravina in constant contact with the Minister for Sport Vincenzo Spadafora and his Chief of Cabinet Giovanni Panebianco. The team worked through the night in order to ensure the Azzurre’s safe return home, following the increased levels of attention and new international conditions in light of the Covid-19 emergency.

The FIGC, in constant contact with the Portuguese federation and authorities, the Italian diplomatic officials and representatives from the Ministry of the Interior, organised a charter flight on Wednesday to ensure the Azzurre’s swift return home. Superb work was done from the entire federal structure and the Club Italia setup, who have been in contact with the team in Portugal throughout the entire process. The flight was scheduled for the early afternoon and took off at 16:20 local time from Faro, eventually arriving in Rome at 1:00 CET early on Thursday. Everyone was satisfied with the outcome.

“I’m happy that the Women’s National Team are finally back home after the decision to not play the match in Lisbon and also the decision made by the Portuguese government to block air traffic,” said Vincenzo Spadafora, the Minister for Sport, this morning. “I’d like to thank Luigi Di Maio, the Minister for Foreign Affairs: the collaboration between our offices was excellent. The Italian ambassador in Lisbon did a great job, while there was the full cooperation on the part of the Portuguese authorities. In just a few hours, and with the unwavering efforts of the FIGC and President Gravina, it was possible to obtain the result we set out to achieve. I’d like to pass on my best wishes to our athletes, from a distance of course. Soon you’ll be able to return to the pitch, but at this current time we need to focus on winning the battle against this pandemic.”