Strict AIA Guidelines Clear 31 Matches Before First Serie A Penalty Arrives
Serie A started the 2026/27 campaign with a strict reduction in referee interventions, completing 31 matches without awarding a single penalty or initiating a VAR on-field review. Match officials operating under new directives from the Italian Referees Association have raised the physical contact threshold required to whistle fouls inside the penalty box.
Italian Referees Association Alters On-Pitch Review Standards
Under the instruction of the Italian Referees Association, match officials now judge contact incidents at full match speed rather than relying on zoomed-in, slow-motion replays. The directive aims to eliminate soft penalties and reduce match stoppages by letting minor physical contact continue without intervention. Referees are required to allow play to flow unless a clear and obvious error occurs, restricting video reviews primarily to unambiguous missed infractions.
Daniel Maldini
playerThis conservative approach to video review separates the Italian top flight from other major European divisions over similar opening fixture spans.
| League | Penalties Awarded (Opening Fixtures) |
|---|---|
| LaLiga | 13 |
| Ligue 1 | 9 |
| Premier League | 5 |
| Bundesliga | 1 |
| Serie A | 0 (Through 31 matches) |
The league’s penalty drought ended in the 32nd fixture when Genoa earned a spot-kick for handball, though forward Lorenzo Colombo sent his attempt wide. The first converted penalty of the season arrived in match 34, when Daniel Maldini scored for Cagliari Calcio in a 2-1 victory over Atalanta BC after the referee spotted a raised arm from defender Sead Kolasinac in real time.
Data and refereeing directives cited according to the Italian Referees Association.