The ACDV (Attivitą Calcistica dei Dipendenti Vaticani) started organising football matches in 1966 when a first team, Societą Sportiva Hermes (of the Vatican Museums) was created; soon after three other teams (Gendarmeria, Amministrazione del Patrimonio della Sede Apostolica (APSA) and Sampietrini (guardians of the Saint Peter)) were founded and clubs played unofficial matches among each other. After more clubs were founded, a first official league (called Coppa Amicizia) commenced on 2 April 1973 with 7 clubs.
The Clericus Cup is a tournament between colleges and religious institutions in and around Rome, not directly connected to the Vatican City, with teams composed primarily of priests and seminarians from around the world; it is organised by the Italian CSI (Centro Sportivo Italiano). The Catholicus Cup is an end of season tournament following the Clericus Cup, to which an ACDV representative XI is invited, which won the tournament in 2007.
Coppa Amicizia
1973 Osservatore Romano [*1]
1974 Governatorato [*2]
1975-78 no competition
1979 Astor Osservatore Romano
1980 no competition
Campeonato della Citta Vaticano
1981 Malepeggio Edilizia
1982 Hercules Biblioteca
1983 SS Hermes (Musei Vaticani)
1984 Virtus Vigilanza
1985 Teleposte
1986 Teleposte
1987 Tipografia Osservatore Romano
1988 Servici Tecnici
1989 Ariete APSA (Associazione S.S. Pietro e Paolo)
1990 Dirseco
1991 Dirseco
1992 Associazione S.S. Pietro e Paolo
NB: between 1993 and 2005 most tournaments were held in calcetto (5-a-side on small pitch]
1993 Dirseco
1994 Dirseco
1995 Dirseco
1996-99 not played
2000 not known (FC Guardia finished 9th out of 16 participants)
2001 Associazione S.S. Pietro e Paolo (5-a-side)
2002-04 not played
2005 F.C. Edilizia
2006 AS Cirioni (8-a-side)
2007 AS Cirioni (8-a-side)
2008 Associazione S.S. Pietro e Paolo
2009 Gendarmeria
2010 Dirseco
2011 Dirseco
2012 Dirseco
2013 San Pietro Team
2014 San Pietro Team (8-a-side)
2015 Musei Vaticani (9-a-side)
2016 Musei Vaticani (8-a-side)
2017 Santos (9-a-side)
2018 Rappresentativa Ospedale Pediatrico Bambin Gesł
2019 Rappresentativa Ospedale Pediatrico Bambin Gesł
2020 abandoned
2021 not held
2022 Rappresentativa Ospedale Pediatrico Bambin Gesł
2023 Rappresentativa Ospedale Pediatrico Bambin Gesł
2024 Santos
2025 Archivio Calcio (5-a-side)
[*1] Osservatore Romano were later renamed Astor
[*2] Governatorato were later renamed Fortitudo
NB: although founded in 1934 FC Guardia never won the Vatican championship;
Musei Vaticani's championship in 2015 was their second ever, after that in 1983 (as Hermes);
the 2016 edition reportedly was the 43rd;
Santos' title in 2017 was their first ever
Number of Known Titles (38; includes 5-a-side, 8-a-side and 9-a-side titles)
8 Dirseco
4 Associazione S.S. Pietro e Paolo [1 as Ariete APSA]
Rappresentativa Ospedale Pediatrico Bambin Gesł
3 Musei Vaticani [1 as SS Hermes]
2 AS Cirioni
Astor Osservatore Romano [1 as Osservatore Romano]
San Pietro Team
Santos [team of employees supermarket and petrol station]
Teleposte
1 Archivio Calcio
F.C. Edilizia
Fortitudo [as Governatorato]
Gendarmeria
Hercules Biblioteca
Malepeggio Edilizia
Servici Tecnici
Tipografia Osservatore Romano
Virtus Vigilanza
Sources: [Grü 00], [gue], [Ner 22], L.Zinelli, https://www.sportinvaticano.com/la-nostra-storia, https://storiedicalcio.altervista.org/blog/il-calcio-di-san-pietro.html, http://patmcguinness.blogspot.co.at/, http://www.bibliomax.it/files/San-Pietro.pdf
With thanks to Neil Morrison
Prepared and maintained by Carlos Santos, Davide Rota and Hans Schöggl for the Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation
Authors: Carlos Santos, Davide Rota and Hans Schöggl
Last updated: 7 Jul 2025
(C) Copyright Carlos Santos, Davide Rota, Hans Schöggl and RSSSF 2000/25
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