Historical Football Game – Florence

June 10th-11th and June 24th, 2023 the historical game between Florence’s 4 districts

On June 10th and 11th the two semifinals and on June 24th, 2023 the final game of the Historical Football Game take place in Florence.

The Historical Football game is the most famous and energetic historic competition in Florence. The final game is always disputed June 24th, the day of Saint Giovanni Battista, the patron saint of Florence.

The challenge is between the 4 ancient Florence districts‘ teams in order to obtain and to win the desired award, the famous type of cow called Chianina!

The game as it is played today has been revived in 1930, on the occasion of the 400th anniversary of Florence’s siege, when the tournament was organized between the city’s districts: Santa Croce (blue), Santo Spirito (white), Santa Maria Novella (red) and San Giovanni (green).
Since then the Florence Football Historic Game became the most important historical re-enactment in Florence.

The players wear customs of XVI century, to recall the historical game, played on February 17th, 1530, during the siege of the city by the imperial troops of Carlo V.
As a disregard towards the invaders, the young inhabitants of Florence wore “livrea” customs (traditional medieval customs) and started to play football to be noticed by the enemies.
That’s why the Calcio Storico Fiorentino is also called “football in livrea” or “football in costume”.

Considered as the precursor of the modern football game, Florence’s Football involves 27 athletes per team. Almost every means is licit to win the competition bringing the ball to the end of the field and dropping it off the net to score a goal called “caccia”

The 16th century is also present in the sumptuous costumes of the Historical Parade of Florence’s Republic, composed by more than 500 reenactors, that from Santa Maria Novella Square go through the central streets to reach Santa Croce Square. 

INFORMATION
Municipality of Florence
Tel. +39 055 055 or send an e-mail>>>
To be updated see the Facebook page>>>

AND AFTER THE MATCH?
See further events and places to visit in Tuscany>>>
And take the opportunity to enjoy the traditional food>>> and the excellent wines of Tuscany>>>

credits photo: Lorenzo Noccioli , Creative Commons