Watch this space for all the major upcoming sporting events in Rome. Italy's national sport is of course, football (that's soccer to you Americans) and this town is home to not one but two top teams - AS Roma and SS Lazio. In addition, being the capital city, most of the national team's home games are played here at the Stadio Olimpico. There's also the Flaminio Stadium, home to Italy's national rugby team.

Football

Serie A: After a slightly disappointing home draw with Cesena on the opening day of the season, Roma will be looking to improve when the visit Cagliari on Satuday 11th September for a televised 7.45 pm kick off. Meanwhile Lazio, who suffered an even more disappointing defeat at Sampdoria, take on Bologna at the Stadio Olimpico on Sunday 12th.
The following Sunday sees Bologna appear at the Olimpico yet again, this time to face Roma at 2 pm, this after Lazio take on Fiorentina in Florence at a 5 pm kick off on Saturday 18th.
Wednesday 22nd sees Lazio take on Milan at home for a 7.45 kick off, while Roma visit northern minnows Brescia.
Saturday 25th September then finally sees the first showcase match of the new season at Rome's Olympic Stadium, when Roma take on current Italian and European Champions Inter for a televised 7.45 pm kick off. Lazio go to Chievo the next day.

Remember, if you'd like to catch a Serie A match while you're here in Rome, contact your hotel concierge in advance, but bear in mind, the bigger the game, the harder it will be to come by tickets.

Champions League: Roma's home games in the first Group Stage of the Champions League are as follows:

28th September - Romanian champions CFR Cluj.
19th October - Swiss upstarts FC Basel, who have surprised more than a few 'big clubs' over the years.
23rd November - German giants and Roma's biggest foes in Group E, Bayern Munich.

National Side: Visitors to Rome hoping to see the Italian national team play a competitive game at the Olympic Stadium are set for disappointment until at least Autumn of 2012, as all of Italy's home fixtures for the Euro 2012 Qualifiers are to be played at various other stadia around the country.
After victories away and home against Estonia and the Faroe Islands respectively, Italy currently sit joint 2nd in Group C of the Euro 2012 Qualifiers. Upcoming fixtures are as follows:

8th October 2010 - Northern Ireland (Away)
12th October 2010 - Serbia (Home - to be played at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris in Genova)
25th March 2011 - Slovenia (Away)
3rd June 2011 - Estonia (Home - to be played at the Stadio Ennio Tardini in Parma)
2nd September 2011 - Faroe Islands (Away)
6th September 2011 - Slovenia (Home - to be played at the Stadio San Nicola in Bari)
7th October 2011 - Serbia (Away)
11th October 2011 - Northern Ireland (Home - to be played at the Stadio Friuli in Udine)

Rugby

Rome, along with Paris, is without doubt one the most delectable venues in the Six Nations tournament (I mean let's face it - it beats Cardiff!). Rugby matches held here in the Eternal City herald fun filled weekends of merriment and joy, when armies of pale-skinned, hairy-bottomed, beer swilling Celts, Angles and Gauls (and their husbands) descend upon the city like it was 387 BC.

Italy's home fixtures for the 2011 Six Nations are as follows:

Friday 4th February 2011 - Ireland
Saturday 26th February 2011 - Wales
Saturday 12th March 2011 - France