The club then prepared to challenge for admission to the Prima Categoria, the top tier of the Italian football league system. However, the Italian Football Federation announced that it would only allow one club from Bergamo to participate in the 1919–20 Prima Categoria. Both Atalanta and Bergamasca were eligible to participate, though a strong rivalry existed between the two clubs. This rivalry quickly precluded any cooperation or agreement, necessitating a competitive playoff to decide the fate of the two Bergamo clubs. The playoff match was held on 5 October 1919 in Brescia; Atalanta won the match 2–0. Atalanta went on to finish third in Lombardy Group B, securing a place in the next season's Prima Categoria.