Roma and Fiorentina begin Serie A campaigns with contrasting ambitions

AS Roma begin their Serie A campaign at home to Fiorentina on Monday, with the capital club aiming to build on last season’s top-three finish while their visitors look to move on from a difficult campaign.

The opening-day fixture will take place at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, with kick-off at 18:45 GMT on 24 August 2026.

The match is available to watch on Canal+ in France and Amazon Prime Video in Germany and the United Kingdom. In the United States, coverage will be provided by Paramount+, CBS, Fubo, DAZN and TUDN/ViX, while DAZN will show the game in Canada.

Canal+ Sport Afrique holds the rights in Africa, Stan Sport in Australia, TNT Sports in Brazil and ESPN across Latin America.

Roma’s most recent league meeting with Fiorentina ended in a commanding 4-0 victory on 4 May 2026. The Giallorossi have also held the upper hand in the head-to-head record over the past five years, winning five of the 10 meetings. Fiorentina have won three, with the other two matches ending in draws.

Roma return to the Champions League

Roma ended a long wait for a top-four finish by claiming third place last season, their first campaign under Gian Piero Gasperini. They had not finished among Italy’s leading four clubs since 2018.

That result secured a return to the Champions League, adding European football’s premier club competition to a schedule that will also include Serie A. Roma have become regular participants in European competition in recent years, enjoying successful runs in both the Europa League and the Europa Conference League.

Their pre-season results, however, have been mixed. They recorded a comprehensive victory at Newport, but were beaten by Cardiff and Brighton. Their final listed friendly ended in a 2-2 draw with Dortmund.

Fiorentina approach the fixture from a very different position. The 2025-26 season proved extremely challenging for the Viola, who finished 15th and survived relegation by only eight points. A late improvement ultimately kept the Tuscan side in the division.

The club has appointed Fabio Grosso in an effort to make a fresh start. Grosso, the 2006 World Cup winner, took charge after a successful spell at Sassuolo and made an encouraging start by guiding Fiorentina to a 4-1 victory over Benevento in the Coppa Italia.

The stated aim is to restore the club to a position more in keeping with its ambitions. Roma, meanwhile, will want to demonstrate that last season’s third-place finish was the beginning of a sustained challenge rather than an isolated success.

Roma’s home advantage and greater momentum on paper make them favourites, although their inconsistent preparation could give Fiorentina encouragement. The visitors are expected to approach the game carefully as they seek to avoid another difficult season.

Africafoot’s prediction is a 1-1 draw.

The listed betting prices are 1.58 for a Roma win, 3.90 for a draw and 5.30 for a Fiorentina victory.