Sport, team spirit and community at the Bologna edition of the MBA Football Cup: the Oranges’ weekend
12 June 2025For the first time, Bologna hosted the MBA Football Cup, the amateur 11-a-side football tournament involving MBA student and Alumni teams from leading Italian business schools.
A weekend that combined sports competition, networking and a strong sense of community, reinforcing a shared identity and fostering collaboration among Schools.
The 2025 edition, organized by BBS Alumni Association, took place on Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 June at the Biavati Sports Complex, and welcomed teams from CUOA Business School, IPE Business School, LUISS Business School, MIB Trieste School of Management, SDA Bocconi School of Management, POLIMI Graduate School of Management and Bologna Business School.
Welcome Event: the kick-off at the New Campus
The weekend officially started on Friday 6 June at the New Campus of Bologna Business School with a welcome event dedicated to the BBS Oranges, the School’s official team. After a greeting from Ilaria Manghi, Co-Managing Director of BBS, and an opening speech by Dario Ciampoli, coach of BBS Oranges, the evening continued with moments of discussion and reflection focused on sportsmanship and leadership.
The Welcome Event concluded with an aperitivo and informal dinner in the Campus’ bar and dining spaces, offering students and Alumni a relaxed setting for dialogue and connection.
On the pitch with passion and determination
On Saturday 7 June, the tournament came to life with a full schedule of matches: each team played four games during the day, each split into two 20-minute halves. On Sunday morning, the finals were held, determining the final ranking of the 2025 edition.
Final standings:
- IPE Business School
- CUOA Business School
- Bologna Business School
- SDA Bocconi School of Management
- POLIMI Graduate School of Management
- LUISS Business School
- MIB Trieste School of Management
Special mention:
The Best Goalkeeper Award was presented to Lorenzo Sammarchi (Bologna Business School).
BBS Oranges: beyond the result, a community in action
The BBS Oranges competed in the tournament with brand-new uniforms, official tracksuits and branded caps—symbols of an identity that is expressed both on and off the pitch. From the stands, the BBS Oranges Supporters brought energy and encouragement, showing that support itself can be a meaningful expression of community.
An event that multiplies opportunities
The MBA Football Cup 2025 was a valuable opportunity to strengthen the ties between those who have experienced or are currently living the educational journey at Bologna Business School. Through the universal language of sport, the event promoted values such as respect, fairness, collaboration and determination—values that also guide the development of tomorrow’s business leaders.
Dario Ciampoli, Co-President of BBS Alumni Association, commented:
“The Bologna event was a special networking opportunity where sport and management came together in an extraordinarily compelling combination.
Bologna Business School and its Alumni Association organized an exceptional event, involving 7 Italian business schools, 150 players and a total of 20 matches over two days. I feel truly honored and proud to have coordinated this important initiative.
The BBS Oranges, with their third-place finish, proved to be one of the teams to beat, confirming the growth path started last year. A solid mix of experience and young talent, along with a great atmosphere in the locker room, created the right chemistry for an ambitious journey that ended only in the semifinal, facing the tournament’s eventual winner.
The Best Goalkeeper Award presented to Lorenzo Sammarchi and the commemorative plaque I received from the players were certainly among the most emotional moments of the entire weekend.
With this motivation and drive, I look forward to the next challenge: the MBA Football Cup 2026 in Milan. I sincerely thank Bologna Business School for making the dream continue… and as we say: Go Orange Go!“
See you next year, with the same energy and the same passion.
