FC Lugano’s customary pre-season press conference took place on the morning of Wednesday 15 July in the Press Conference Room at the AIL Arena. Vice-chairman and CEO Martin Blaser, flanked by the heads of the various departments and operational units, provided an up-to-date overview of the club’s activities and projects on the eve of the official start of the 2026/27 season.
During this now-traditional half-yearly event, the main corporate, financial and sporting issues were discussed, along with developments relating to the club’s new home. Blaser emphasised the stability of the club’s structure and the desire to continue on the path of growth with ambition, without losing sight of the club’s reality. As at 1 July, FC Lugano had a total of 205 staff members, with this increase primarily linked to investments in the Academy and the new Ticino Partnership. On the financial front, it was also announced that the COVID-19 loan received in 2021 had been repaid in full.
On the sporting front, Chief Sports Officer Sebastian Pelzer confirmed the first team’s objectives: to finish in the top six after the first 33 matchdays, to reach the Swiss Cup final with the aim of winning it, and to qualify for the League Phase of the UEFA Conference League. The new structure placing the U21s under the First Team was also outlined, designed to make the path for young players towards professional football even more direct.
In the closing round-table discussion, Pelzer and Mattia Croci-Torti, when questioned by journalists, highlighted the quality and professionalism of the work carried out during pre-season. The manager emphasised how clear and timely communication had enabled the squad to work without the ‘grey areas’ experienced a year ago. Pelzer, meanwhile, described the AIL Arena as a ‘game-changer’ even during negotiations with new players, as it allows the club to show new signings first-hand the environment in which they will be working and playing their home matches.
Considerable attention was also paid to the spectator experience. The Club outlined the measures implemented to improve the catering service – which is managed in-house with the support of specialists – through the cashless system, a different layout of the catering areas and new processes designed to reduce waiting times.
On the ticketing front, as of 15 July, 2,975 season tickets had been sold for the 2026/27 Brack Super League season and 3,392 tickets had already been issued for the first European fixture.
Finally, the conference provided updates on communications and marketing, digital platforms, Membership, Partner Club and ESG strategy. The meeting concluded with a ‘breaking news’ announcement published in real time: the launch of the FC Lugano Official App, available from today on the App Store and Google Play. This new digital gateway to the Bianconeri world brings together news, the Live Match Centre, ticketing, the shop, official content, membership and new opportunities for interaction with fans in a single space, marking a further significant step in the Club’s digital transformation journey.
Now the focus shifts to the pitch: the new season will officially kick off on Thursday 23 July at 8.30 pm at the AIL Arena, with the first leg of the second qualifying round of the UEFA Conference League against KF Dukagjini.
WATCH THE FULL PRESS CONFERENCE BELOW: