Serie C 2026/27: Essabr warns Cosenza is “completely detached from the social fabric” as stadium dispute escalates

The build-up to the 2026/27 Serie C season has been dominated by off-field turmoil at Cosenza, with former player Oussama Essabr describing the club as “one of the very few situations in Italy where a club is completely detached from the social fabric.” Speaking on TuttoMercatoWeb’s radio show, Essabr said the tension between the ownership and the local community has escalated to the point where the municipal administration has revoked the stadium concession, a decision now pending before the Regional Administrative Court (TAR).

Cosenza’s stadium crisis deepens

Cosenza’s San Vito-Gigi Marulla stadium has been at the centre of a long-running dispute between the club’s board and the city of Cosenza. The council’s decision to revoke the concession means the club’s ability to host home matches in the coming season is legally uncertain. Essabr, who played in the red and blue shirt and knows the environment well, said the situation amounts to a “cold war” that has gone beyond acceptable limits. “We have reached a point where they are living under the same roof but separated, even with the municipal administration,” he said. The case is now with the TAR, which will decide whether the revocation stands.

Essabr’s critique of Italian football’s resistance to change

Beyond the immediate Cosenza crisis, Essabr used the interview to criticise Italian football’s broader reluctance to modernise. He argued that the system is held back by “older people sitting in administrative seats who resist change and do not let new ideas in.” He cited the most recent World Cup as evidence that modern, international approaches are working elsewhere. Essabr, who retired early from playing and is now pursuing a qualification as a sporting director, said his ambition is to bring “an international and modern know-how that sees football at the centre of the universe.” He stressed that clubs must reconnect with their social fabric – “creating homogeneity between place, institutions, fans and the club” – a principle he feels is being lost in Italy, with Serie B perhaps a partial exception.

Serie C 2026/27: an “exciting” season ahead

When asked about the upcoming Serie C campaign, Essabr predicted it will be “on the same lines as last year,” with one group increasingly resembling a “B2” division featuring major clubs and cities. He highlighted the playoff system, which he said “mixes everything up and produces incredible matches.” He also praised Lega Pro’s work in recent years, suggesting the league is improving its product. Regarding the controversial introduction of Under-23 teams (U23) into Serie C, Essabr defended the concept as “an extraordinary idea that exists in all advanced European football countries,” but acknowledged it has been implemented poorly in Italy, “almost thrown in without proper planning.” He said for clubs that already have a U23 team, it remains a clear advantage.

Key facts

Why this matters for FootballGames10 readers

This story offers a direct window into the structural problems affecting one of Italy’s historic lower-division clubs and the broader Serie C landscape. For readers following Italian football, the Cosenza dispute is a case study in the tension between ownership and local identity, a recurring theme across many European leagues. Essabr’s comments on modernisation, U23 teams and the league’s competitive balance also provide context for the 2026/27 season, which promises to be tightly contested. The outcome of the stadium concession case will affect Cosenza’s ability to play home matches, potentially influencing their league position and the integrity of the competition.

Source: TuttoMercatoWeb – www.tuttomercatoweb.com/serie-c/essabr-mi-aspetto-avvincente-cosenza-club-slegato-tessuto-sociale-peccato-2257879