Serie A
Roma
Napoli
JuventusAssociazione Calcio Monza (Italian pronunciation: [ˈmontsa] ), commonly referred to as Monza, is a professional football club based in Monza, Lombardy, Italy. The team plays in Serie A, the top tier of Italian football, following promotion from Serie B in the 2025–26 season.
Founded in 1912 as Monza FBC, the club spent much of its history in the lower divisions, narrowly missing out on promotion to Serie A on several occasions in the 1970s. Monza faced financial difficulties in the early 21st century, resulting in bankruptcy in 2004 and 2015. After being acquired by Silvio Berlusconi in 2018, the club returned to Serie B in 2020 after a 19-year absence and secured their first-ever promotion to Serie A in 2022. The club had previously held the Italian record for most Serie B seasons played without ever reaching Serie A (40).
Monza have won the Coppa Italia Serie C a record four times, the Serie C championship four times, and an Anglo-Italian Cup. The club originally wore blue and white, but adopted their current red and white colours in 1932; as a result, the team are nicknamed i biancorossi (the white and reds). Since 1988, Monza have played home matches at the Stadio Brianteo. The club's main rivals include Como, Pro Sesto and Pisa.
Foundation and first tournaments (1912–1927)
Monza Foot-Ball Club was founded on 1 September 1912 in the Cappello Vecchio trattoria, following the merger of the Monza-based clubs Pro Italia and Pro Monza. The new club established their first headquarters in the Roma coffeehouse located on the similarly named town square in Monza; the team initially wore a blue and white kit. Monza's first recorded game was against a team from Milan, while their first win came on 20 September 1912 when they beat Juventus Italia 2–1 in Triante. The club won their first trophy, the Coppa Colli, in early 1913 after beating Saronno 3–2 in the final.
In November 1913, Monza FBC merged with Juventus FBC (a group of athletes formerly part of the Forti e Liberi sports club) to form Associazione Calcio Monza. Monza first competed in Terza Categoria (third level) in the 1913–14 season; they played their first match on 4 January 1914, losing 3–1 at home against Fanfulla. The following season, Monza took part in the Promozione (second level), finishing fourth in their group of six. Despite the outbreak of World War I, when conscription forced teams to send their adult players to war, Monza were able to continue their sporting activity with young players.
Between 1915 and 1918, the war interrupted official tournaments. Upon the resumption of football in 1919, Monza took part in the 1919–20 Promozione (second level). Having finished first in their group, Monza played the promotion finals against Trevigliese, losing 2–1. The Italian Football Federation, however, decided to promote Monza via repechage, and the team were placed in Prima Categoria, the top tier of Italian football. In 1919, Monza hosted the Czechoslovakia military national team for a friendly game at Grazie Vecchie field that ended in a 1–1 draw.
Monza were grouped with Milan, Cremonese and Pro Patria in their qualifying group for Prima Categoria. Their first game was played on 24 October 1920, a 4–1 home defeat to Milan; Francesco Mandelli scored Monza's lone goal. They finished the 1920–21 season with no points and in last place in their group. The following season, Monza finished second in their group, missing out on the final stage by one position. Due to a restructuring of the league system, Monza were moved to the Seconda Divisione (second level) for the 1922–23 season; they avoided relegation by beating Chiasso and Canottieri Lecco in the play-offs. In 1926–27, after beating Ponziana 3–2 in the final, Monza were declared champions of Seconda Divisione Lega Nord (third level) and were promoted to the Prima Divisione (second level).