The Italian Football Confederation (CCI, ''Confederazione Calcistica Italiana'') was a

secession Secession is the formal withdrawal of a group from a Polity, political entity. The process begins once a group proclaims an act of secession (such as a declaration of independence). A secession attempt might be violent or peaceful, but the goal i ...

ist organization which opposed the

Italian Football Federation The Italian Football Federation (, ; FIGC ), known colloquially as (), is the governing body of football in Italy. It is based in Rome and Centro Tecnico Federale di Coverciano, the technical department is in Coverciano, Florence. It manages a ...

during the 1921–22 season.Luigi Saverio Bertazzoni, “Annuario Italiano del Giuoco del Calcio”, in “I volumi dello sport”, F.I.G.C., 1929 (it.)

The Confederation

Just after

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, football became the national sport in Italy, with growing economic revenues. However, the

Italian Football Championship Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance languag ...

was still based on an amatorial and pletoric structure of 88 clubs divided in regional groups that the democratic organization of the

FIGC The Italian Football Federation (, ; FIGC ), known colloquially as (), is the governing body of football in Italy. It is based in Rome and the technical department is in Coverciano, Florence. It manages and coordinates the Italian football l ...

could not change. Richest and greatest clubs of

Northern Italy Northern Italy (, , ) is a geographical and cultural region in the northern part of Italy. The Italian National Institute of Statistics defines the region as encompassing the four Northwest Italy, northwestern Regions of Italy, regions of Piedmo ...

asked famous coach

Vittorio Pozzo Vittorio Pozzo (; 2 March 1886 – 21 December 1968) was an Italian association football, football player, manager (association football), manager and journalist. The creator of the ''Formation (association football)#Metodo (2–3–2–3), Me ...

for a reform plan in summer 1921, but minor clubs rejected it. Consequently, the 24 strongest clubs resigned from the FIGC and founded the Northern League, the first association football league of the country. The richness of the new league attracted some minor clubs and all Southern clubs, which were grouped into a ''Second Division'' and a ''Southern League'' respectively. Together, they formed the CCI, headquarters in

Turin Turin ( , ; ; , then ) is a city and an important business and cultural centre in northern Italy. It is the capital city of Piedmont and of the Metropolitan City of Turin, and was the first Italian capital from 1861 to 1865. The city is main ...

. As the lexical difference, copied from the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

, showed, the Confederation opposed the Federation with a lighter structure, where the real power was vested in the leagues, which organized their own championships. Italy had consequently two football champions in 1922,

Pro Vercelli Football Club Pro Vercelli 1892, commonly referred to as Pro Vercelli, is an Football in Italy, Italian football club based in Vercelli, Piedmont. The club is mostly renowned as one of the most successful teams in the early football era of Ital ...

for the CCI and US Novese for the FIGC. Despite its economic success, the CCI suffered the lack of international recognition by the

FIFA The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (), more commonly known by its acronym FIFA ( ), is the international self-regulatory governing body of association football, beach soccer, and futsal. It was founded on 21 May 1904 to o ...

, while the FIGC remained with a poor championship with bankruptcy risks. The director of ''

La Gazzetta dello Sport (; English: "The Sports Gazette") is an Italian Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper dedicated to coverage of various sports. Founded in 1896, it is the most widely read daily newspaper of any type in Italy (in 2018). History and profile was fou ...

'', Mr Colombo, was asked for a gentleman agreement which became very similar to a surrender of the FIGC. The championship was expanded to 36 clubs for the 1922–23 season solely, while the 24 clubs format would be accepted from 1923–24 onward. The Northern League victory then allowed the CCI disbandment.

References

{{Authority control Football governing bodies in Italy Sports organizations established in 1921 Sports organizations disestablished in 1921