This year, the semifinals of Calcio Storico—Florence's most famous folk tradition—will take place on Saturday, June 14th, and Sunday, June 15th. The final will be held, as usual, on Friday, June 24th, in celebration of Florence’s Patron Saint Day.
There are four teams, representing the city’s historic districts and their corresponding main basilicas: the Whites of Santo Spirito, the Blues of Santa Croce, the Greens of San Giovanni (the Cathedral), and the Reds of Santa Maria Novella. The first match will see the Reds face the Blues, while the following day the Whites will take on the Greens.
The matches are played on the sandy field of Piazza Santa Croce and are preceded by grand historical parades that wind through the streets of the city center.
Ticket information will be available soon.
A sumptuous parade in historical costume announces every match: it starts from Piazza Santa Maria Novella, and gets through via dei Banchi, via Rondinelli, via Agli, via Pecori, via Roma, via degli Speziali, via Calzaiuoli (corner with via Condotta), to stop in Piazza Santa Croce.
The match will be preceded by a historical parade in costume (corteo storico della Repubblica fiorentina) starting from piazza Santa Maria Novella at 4pm to get to Santa Croce at 5pm.
