Match of the Siege 2024

Match of the Siege 2024 (Partita dell’Assedio 2024), the most important match in the Calcio Storico Fiorentino calendar of events, will take place on Saturday, February 17, 2024, in Piazza Santa Croce, in Florence.

Historical Florentine Football (Calcio Storico Fiorentino) is an early form of football born in the 16th century, a mix of rugby, soccer and wrestling, which is still played in Florence.

The four teams facing each other in Calcio Storico Fiorentino are the Whites (Bianchi) of Santo Spirito, the Blues (Azzurri) of Santa Croce, the Reds (Rossi) of Santa Maria Novella, and the Greens (Verdi) of San Giovanni.

The game, lasting only 50 minutes, is very violent and often ends up with broken limbs and a lot of blood.

WHAT IS THE DATE AND THE LOCATION FOR THE MATCH OF THE SIEGE 2024?

As usual, the Match of the Siege 2024 will take place on February 17, 2024, starting around 3.30 pm.

The game will be held in Florence, in Piazza Santa Croce, in front of the Church of Santa Croce.

SHORT HISTORY OF THE MATCH OF THE SIEGE

The first match of Calcio Storico was held on February 17, 1530, when Florence was besieged by the army of Carlo V and Pope Clemente VII, who were trying to bring back the Medici family from their exile.

Instead of celebrating the carnival, the people played a match of Calcio Storico in Piazza di Santa Croce, to make fun of the attackers.

The popularity of the game increased and lasted throughout the 17th century, but in the following century it began to decline, and soon Calcio Storico disappeared, at least as an organized event.

The last official game took place in January 1739, in the Square of Santa Croce, in the presence of Maria Theresa, future Empress of Austria.

Except for two other games played in 1898 and 1902, almost two centuries passed before the city of Florence could see its ancient game revived.

The game was reborn in May, 1930, when, for the four hundredth anniversary of the Siege of Florence, on the initiative of Alessandro Pavolini, an Italian politician, was organized the first tournament between the districts of the city.

Since 1930, except for the Second World War period, the challenges between the players of the four historical quarters of Florence were regularly held, and the Historical Florentine Football became over time the most important commemorative event in Florence.

Today, besides the match in February, there are three other matches, two preliminaries and the final, which are held in June, on the occasion of the annual celebrations of the patron saint of the city, Saint John the Baptist.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS FOR THE MATCH OF THE SIEGE 2024

Before the game, there will be the Procession of the Florentine Republic (Corteo della Repubblica Fiorentina), which will start around 1.45 pm from Palagio di Parte Guelfa, located in Piazza della Parte Guelfa.

The procession will reach Piazza di Santa Croce around 2.30 pm. Then, there will be a performance by the Bandierai degli Uffizi, the official flag wavers of Florence.

The Match of the Siege 2024 will take place starting with 3.30 pm.