Calcio Storico Florence: History, Rules and 2026 Dates
Updated: Oct 28
Updated October 2026
If you are in Florence in June, Calcio Storico is the one event I would rearrange a trip for. I stood in the stands in Piazza Santa Croce in June 2024, and nothing prepares you for the noise. Here is the history, the rules and the 2026 results, and my month-by-month guide to visiting Florence helps with timing.
A game born in a siege
Calcio Storico (calcio fiorentino) grew from Renaissance ball games. Its most famous match was on 17 February 1530, when Florentines played in Piazza Santa Croce during the siege by imperial troops, in defiance of the army outside the walls. The modern tournament revives that tradition each June.
The four teams
Azzurri (blue): Santa Croce
Bianchi (white): Santo Spirito
Rossi (red): Santa Maria Novella
Verdi (green): San Giovanni
The rules, simply
Each team fields 27 players on a sand pitch in Piazza Santa Croce. A match lasts 50 minutes. You score a caccia by getting the ball into the net that runs along the opposing end.
Miss high, and the other side gets half a caccia. Most cacce wins. In between, it is part rugby, part wrestling. The winning team traditionally receives a white Chianina calf.
Calcio Storico 2026 results
Semifinal, 13 June: Rossi beat Verdi 22 to 2.
Semifinal, 14 June: Azzurri beat Bianchi 18.5 to 4.
Final, 24 June: Azzurri beat Rossi 19 to 18.
The final is always played on 24 June, the feast of San Giovanni, Florence's patron saint. Semifinal dates for 2027 will be announced by the city.
Going to a match
Tickets are sold through official channels and sell out fast.
Before each match there is a historic parade in Renaissance costume.
Bring water, a hat and patience. June afternoons are hot.
Kids? It is rough. Read my guide to Florence with kids first.
Make a day of it with my guide to the Basilica of Santa Croce, and see my spring and summer in Florence guide for other June events, including the San Giovanni fireworks. Sports fans may also like the Tour de France in Florence.
Where to stay
Santa Croce puts you steps from the pitch. See where to stay near Santa Croce.
The parade before the match
Before each match, a historic parade of hundreds of people in Renaissance costume winds from Santa Maria Novella to Piazza Santa Croce. There are drummers, flag throwers, soldiers in armor, nobles on horseback and the white calf that goes to the winning team.
The flag throwers' display in the piazza is worth arriving early for. The sound of the drums as the parade enters the square is one of my favorite memories of Florence.
What the day feels like
The piazza fills hours before the start. Fans of each team sit together, waving flags and singing. When the players enter, bare chested in striped Renaissance breeches, the noise is enormous.
The game itself is a blur of bodies, sand and shouting, with sudden runs for the net. The referee and a master of the field, all in costume, try to keep order. By the end, every player is covered in sand and the winners are carried across the square.
Feast of San Giovanni
The final on 24 June falls on the feast of Florence's patron saint, San Giovanni, John the Baptist. It is a holiday in the city.
After the final, fireworks, called the fochi di San Giovanni, are set off over the Arno near Piazzale Michelangelo late in the evening. The best views are from the riverbanks and bridges. It makes 24 June the most Florentine day of the year.
The neighborhood rivalry
Calcio Storico is not a show for visitors. Each team represents one of the four historic quarters of Florence, and the players are local men who train for months. Loyalties run deep: families have backed the same colors for generations, and a win means a year of bragging rights in the bars of Santa Croce or Santo Spirito.
Walk through the winning quarter on the night of the final and you will hear the singing for hours. The rivalry is fierce, but it is also a celebration of belonging to a place.
Where to watch if you have no ticket
Without a ticket, you can still see the parade along its route and catch the atmosphere in the streets around Santa Croce. Some bars nearby show the match on screens. Local TV also broadcasts the games.
Planning a June trip around it
Book your stay early, since June is high season. Plan museums in the mornings before the semifinals and keep 24 June free for the final and the fireworks.
If you cannot make June, the Scoppio del Carro at Easter, when a cart of fireworks explodes outside the Duomo, is another Florentine tradition worth planning around.
Tips for photographers
Long lenses work best from the stands. The parade is easiest to photograph along its route, before it reaches the piazza. In the stands, keep your gear close and stay seated during play.
The prize and the honor
The winning team traditionally receives a white Chianina calf, a reminder of the old prize given to the victors, though today the calf is no longer slaughtered for a feast. What really matters is the honor of the neighborhood.
Players are not paid, and many train for months before the tournament. The winners celebrate with a dinner and a parade through their quarter, and the whole neighborhood shares in the victory for a year.
The colors and the quarters
Each team represents one of the four historic quarters of the city. The Azzurri, in blue, play for Santa Croce. The Bianchi, in white, play for Santo Spirito across the river.
The Rossi, in red, are Santa Maria Novella, and the Verdi, in green, are San Giovanni, the area around the Duomo. Wearing the colors in June is a sign of belonging, and you will see flags and scarves in windows all over the city.
The pitch in Piazza Santa Croce
Every June, Piazza Santa Croce is covered with sand to make the pitch, and temporary stands go up on all sides. The field is about 80 by 40 meters, with a low net along each short end as the goal.
Scoring a goal, a caccia, is the only way to win points, and missing the net gives half a point to the other side. The matches last 50 minutes without breaks.
Is it violent?
Calcio Storico is famous for its violence, and it is a tough, physical sport, with wrestling, boxing and tackling. Injuries are common. In recent years, organizers have introduced stricter rules, medical checks and limits on who can play, after incidents led to cancellations in the past. It is still not for the faint hearted, but it is now better controlled.
The costumes
The historic parade before each match includes hundreds of people in Renaissance costume: drummers, flag throwers, soldiers in armor, nobles and city officials. The costumes are based on those of the 16th century and are restored and stored by the city. The flag throwers, the sbandieratori, perform before the match with remarkable skill.
Learning more
To understand the game, I recommend watching a match on video before you go and reading about the 1530 siege. The tournament is a living link to the moment Florence defied an empire.
Where the teams train
In the weeks before June, teams train in their quarters, and the atmosphere builds in local bars where players and fans gather.
FAQ
When is Calcio Storico?
Semifinals in mid-June and the final on 24 June every year.
Who won Calcio Storico 2026?
The Azzurri of Santa Croce, 19 to 18 over the Rossi.
How many players are on a Calcio Storico team?
Twenty-seven players per side.
Is Calcio Storico dangerous?
For the players, yes. It is a full contact game. For spectators in the stands it is safe.
What is the prize for winning Calcio Storico?
Traditionally a white Chianina calf, and above all the honor of the neighborhood.
About the author
I'm Jason GaNung, and I write every guide on Florence Life. I have spent extensive time in Florence over many trips, and I have stayed in many of the hotels and villas I cover, so my picks come from my own stays, not press releases. More about me.
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