Rari Nantes Savona were unable to take part in their opening Serie A1 match of the season against Telimar Palermo after a cancelled flight left the team unable to reach Sicily.

Savona were due to travel from Turin to Palermo on Friday, 2 October, ahead of Saturday’s opening-round fixture.

According to a statement released by the club, their Wizz Air flight was delayed several times before being definitively cancelled at around 22:40.

Savona said they then attempted to find alternative flights for the squad, but no suitable seats were available either on Friday evening or on Saturday.

As a result, the team could not travel to Palermo and failed to appear for the scheduled match against Telimar.

The club described the situation as deeply disappointing, noting that it was the first time in its Serie A1 history that Savona had been unable to take part in a scheduled league fixture.

Savona will now submit documentation to the relevant Italian federation authorities on Monday, arguing that the team was prevented from travelling by circumstances beyond its control.

A decision will therefore be required on how the fixture is handled, with the sporting authorities expected to assess Savona’s force majeure claim before determining the next steps.

The incident brought an unusual start to Savona’s 2026/27 Serie A1 campaign, with their season opener decided by events away from the pool rather than in the water.

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