Italia Azzurra

Formula and pairing teams

On June 28, 2007, the format of the 2007-08 tournament was released. The new format reduced the number of competitors to the 42 teams which would play in Serie A and Serie B for the 2007-08 season; no Serie C teams would participate in the tournament. Also, the rather unusual two-leg final was eliminated. A single-match final would be played at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome^[1].

The format for pairings was as follows:

• First phase: one-leg fixtures
  • First round: The bottom 24 seeds (19-42) are paired
  • Second round: The 12 first round winners are paired
• Second phase: one-leg fixtures
  • 6 first phase winners and seeds 9-18 are paired
• Third phase: two-leg fixtures
  • Round of 16: 8 second phase winners are inserted into a bracket with seeds 1-8
  • Quarterfinals and Semifinals: Two-leg fixtures with pairings based upon bracket
• Final: one-leg fixture at neutral venue

Seeding is allocated as follows:

a) seed 1 to last year's Italian Cup Winner.

b) seeds 2-8 to the participants playing in the Champions League/UEFA Cup competitions other than seed 1. If less than 8 teams are participating then the next highest placed Serie A team(s) complete(s) the list.

c) seeds 9-17 to the 9 remaining Serie A teams to 17th place.

d) seeds 18-20 to the 3 Serie B teams promoted to Serie A this season.

e) seeds 21-23 to the 3 Serie A teams demoted to Serie B this season.

f) seeds 24-37 to the 14 Serie B teams finishing to 17th place but not promoted to Serie A.

g) seed 38 to the play-out winner in Serie B.

h) seeds 39-42 to the 4 Serie C1 teams promoted to Serie B this season.