SSD Città di Acireale 1946
Italian football club based in Acireale, Sicily.
Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons
S.S.D. Città di Acireale 1946 S.r.l., commonly known as Acireale, is an Italian football club based in Acireale, Sicily. The club competes in Serie D, the fourth tier of the Italian football league system, and was founded in 1946 as a separate entity from earlier clubs in the city. Its golden era came in the 1990s, when it reached Serie B for the 1993–94 season, though it was relegated at the end of that campaign and did not return the following year.
- known_for
- Reaching Serie B in the 1993–94 season
Lore & Background
The club's roots trace back to a previous club in the city that played between 1928 and 1935. The current incarnation was founded on 11 June 1946 as A.C. Acireale, initially competing in the Prima Divisione or lower regional leagues, as Serie C was not re-established until 1948. The early lineup from that period is not verifiable from standard historical records. The granata earned promotion in the 1957–58 campaign and later achieved promotion to Serie C in the 1968–69 season. The club competed under the name 'Acquapozzillo' only for the 1968–69 season (and possibly into 1969–70). Less than a decade after their ascent, the team dropped back to Serie D in the 1975–76 season and participated in several editions of the Interregional Championship.
Reader's Guide
Acireale's significance lies in its rise from lower divisions to Serie B in the early 1990s, a period considered its golden era. Under coach Giuseppe Papadopulo, the team gained its first promotion to Serie B in the 1992–93 season. In its first Serie B season (1993–94), Acireale avoided relegation by winning a play-off against Pisa on penalties. However, the following season (1994–95) ended in relegation to Serie C1. The club then played four consecutive seasons in Serie C2, ending in 2003 after promotion via playoffs. Financial troubles led to a drop after a disappointing 2005–06 season. The club was refounded as Acireale Calcio in the Promozione regional league, winning promotion to Eccellenza in its first season. Renamed to the current denomination in August 2007, it earned promotion to Serie D in the 2009–10 season. Notable former managers include Walter Mazzarri, Giuseppe Papadopulo, and Francesco Scoglio.
Did You Know?
- The club was founded on 11 June 1946 as A.C. Acireale.
- Its first coach was former Juventus player Luigi Bertolini.
- Acireale reached Serie B for the first and only time in the 1993–94 season, being relegated immediately after.
- The club competed under the name 'Acquapozzillo' only for the 1968–69 season (and possibly into 1969–70).
Frequently Asked Questions
What is SSD Città di Acireale 1946?
It is an Italian association football club rooted in the Sicilian town of Acireale. The team currently competes in Serie D, the fourth rung of Italy's national league pyramid.
How did the phoenix rebirth of Acireale happen?
The original Società Sportiva Acireale ceased to exist in 1993, and a new legal entity was registered to carry on the club's identity while retaining the 11 June 1946 founding date. This structural reset allowed the town's football tradition to survive under a fresh corporate shell.
What is SSD Città di Acireale 1946's competitive role in Italian football?
The club functions as a fourth-division outfit in the national system, playing its matches in Serie D. Its historical ceiling was reached in the mid-1990s, when it broke into Serie B and contested the second tier for two consecutive campaigns (1993–94 and 1994–95).
Why is SSD Città di Acireale 1946 important to Sicilian football?
The club's back-to-back Serie B seasons in the 1990s remain the highest level of competition the town has ever reached. That brief golden era still defines the identity and ambitions of local supporters today.
When was SSD Città di Acireale 1946 founded?
The club's official founding date is 11 June 1946, a date preserved even after the 1993 dissolution and subsequent re-registration. The current S.r.l. structure simply inherits that original anniversary as its founding milestone.
More in Phoenix clubs 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
This is a living reference — every entry is fact-audited, and reader corrections feed straight into our audit queue. Suggest an edit · See this site's audit record