Valposchiavo Calcio turns isolation into a source of strength
Sunday 4th October 2026 on 15:00 in
Switzerland
Valposchiavo Calcio’s remote location means long journeys for players and visiting teams, but the Graubünden club says those trips also help build friendships. SRF reports that the regional second-division side is an unusual football club in several ways.
The team trains at the Centro sportivo ai Cortini, its football ground in Poschiavo. Club president Renato Cirolo says the club’s position at Switzerland’s southern edge means it must travel long distances to play in the league.
Players from neighbouring Italy’s Valtellina help strengthen the squad. Striker Emanuele Benedetti, 21, drives 40 minutes each way from Sondrio for training three times a week. He spent six years in AC Milan’s youth system and represented Italy at under-17 level before two knee injuries set him back. He says joining Valposchiavo was the best decision he could have made.
Defender Daniele Rossi, 23, lives and works as a car painter in Chur but still wants to play for his home club. To avoid making the two-hour drive to Poschiavo three times a week, he trains once with FC Ems and once in Rhäzüns with three other Poschiavo expatriates. He travels to Poschiavo for the team’s Friday session.
The shortest away trip for Valposchiavo takes almost two and a half hours by car, to Ilanz or Chur. Most opponents this season are from the St Gallen Rhine Valley, with Glarus and Rapperswil-Jona also on the schedule. Cirolo says time spent together in cars and buses helps teammates form friendships and stay motivated.
Long journeys also deter some visiting youth teams. Junior coordinator Patrik Crameri says some teams do not turn up, sometimes without giving notice until shortly before a match. The club records about 10 cancellations per season, with Valposchiavo awarded a forfeit win each time.
The first team has played in the regional second division for four seasons. Its budget is nearly 200,000 francs, supported by the municipality, local sponsors and donors. The club has 130 to 140 junior players and more than 20 coaches, and Italian is its official language. Chur 97 plays in the same division and is currently higher in the table.