Sports and Business Press in Italy: Gazzetta and Sole 24 Ore

Two genres dominate the Italian newspaper market more than in almost any other country: the Sports dailies – Italy is treating itself to three—and the Business Press All about *Il Sole 24 Ore*. This guide introduces both worlds.

Three sports newspapers—every day

It is rare internationally for a country to have three national sports newspapers. In Italy, this works because soccer, cycling, and motorsports are hugely popular—and because each newspaper has its own regional readership.

La Gazzetta dello Sport

The famous pink A Milan-based newspaper (since 1896), it is the sports newspaper with the highest circulation and, in terms of total circulation, ranks among the country’s largest daily newspapers—virtually on par with *La Repubblica*. It pioneered the Giro d'Italia, whose leader's jersey is still pink today.

Corriere dello Sport – Stadio

From Rome, with a strong focus on the clubs in central and southern Italy (Roma, Lazio, Napoli).

Tuttosport

From Turin, which has traditionally been closely associated with Juventus and the northwest.

Anyone who wants to understand how Italy talks about soccer will find the best illustration in these three publications—and their contrasting front pages covering the same game.

Beyond Soccer: Niche Sports in Italy

The three daily sports newspapers primarily cover soccer, cycling, and motorsports. Other sports are covered only marginally—those interested in them should turn to Trade media and specialized portals rely on. This is especially true for golf: Italy has about 400 golf courses, ranging from the Ryder Cup course at Marco Simone near Rome to the Alpine courses in South Tyrol and the Aosta Valley, all the way to the coastal courses of Tuscany and Sicily—yet this is hardly ever mentioned in the daily press.

Il Sole 24 Ore: the business newspaper

Recognizable by its salmon-colored paper; published by the Industry Association Confindustria: Il Sole 24 Ore is Italy's leading source for business, finance, taxes, and law. It is important for expats, the self-employed, and entrepreneurs for one very practical reason: it explains Changes to the Law and Tax Deadlines often faster and easier to understand than official sources.

The special supplements on tax topics are particularly useful—for example, when you have questions about Tax return, to the Lump-sum scheme or to the IMU. The group also includes the Economic Service Radiocor and the station Radio 24.

Other Business Publications

• Milano Finanza (MF) – Financial markets, stock market, corporate news.
• Italia Oggi – Focus on taxes, law, and administration.
• Corriere Economia and the business sections of the major newspapers—see Daily Newspapers in Italy.

Who Benefits From What

• Self-Employed Individuals and Entrepreneurs: Il Sole 24 Ore, supplemented by Italia Oggi for tax matters – in conjunction with the Accountant.
• Investors: Milano Finanza and the business section of Sole.
• Soccer fans: the sports newspaper from your own region—or all three, for comparison.
• Language learners: Sports newspapers are written in a lively style but are full of idioms; business articles, on the other hand, are precise and formulaic.

What You Can Do Next

If you have business in Italy, it's worth trying a trial subscription to the Sole 24 Ore – especially around the turn of the year and the budget bill, when tax rules change. And to get a feel for Italian sports culture: Buy all three sports newspapers on a Monday and compare their front pages.