Calcio Storico: Florence's Beautiful but Brutal Game

Once upon a time, in 1530, a city lay under siege, subdued but unbroken beneath the weight of its enemies. That city was Florence. Legend has it that, amid the occupation, a group of men gathered to play ball. Some say it was merely a way to distract themselves from the looming Spanish forces. Others believe it was an act of defiance, a game played not for sport but as an audacious challenge to the enemy watching from beyond the city walls. Then, under the shadow of power and oppression, Calcio Storico Fiorentino was born.

But what was this strange but beautiful game? If you're planning a visit to Florence, you need to get acquainted with the city's favorite pastime. Discover its fascinating history with us!

A very Florentine tradition

It seems almost unimaginable - and yet - an entirely new tradition was taking shape, not driven by intellectuals or nobles, but by normal people. Centuries later, Florence still gathers in the rectangular battlefield of Piazza Santa Croce, reviving a game that is part football, part rugby, and part hand-to-hand combat. In this spectacle, the roar of devoted supporters rises like an ancient chant, rallying behind their teams as the match unfolds beneath the unyielding gaze of Dante’s statue, who stands watch over the chaos. And trust me, this has nothing to do with a passion for sport. It is about something else: a deep love for your roots.

So, as the match begins, each player steps onto the battlefield draped in the colors of their neighborhood, carrying centuries of history on their shoulders. The Bianchi of Santo Spirito take their name from the church that dominates the square. The Rossi of Santa Maria Novella are named after their own basilica, while the Verdi of San Giovanni owe their name to the Baptistery of Florence’s Duomo. And then there are the Azzurri of Santa Croce, named in honor of the basilica that towers over their home piazza, the most successful team in Calcio Storico’s long history.

Grit, sheer force, and a ball rolling across the sand-covered ground. It only takes a few minutes before the dust rises, sweat glistens and the first bruises form. Yet no player steps onto the field for money. The only rewards for the winning team? A painted banner by a contemporary Florentine artist and a white Chianina calf, a livestock offering that was highly prized in centuries past.

The origins of the game

Make no mistake. Though today Calcio Storico is woven into the very soul of Florence, its origins are far older, reaching back to ancient civilizations and crossing many lives. Its first known ancestor was sferomachia, a fierce ball game played in ancient Greece. The Romans, always quick to recognize the value of a challenge, seized upon it, shaping it into Harpastum, a name that means to seize by force. Playing on dusty fields with a ball of rags or leather was a pastime, yes, but for soldiers, it was also a way to prepare for war. And so it spread, carried by the legions through the empire’s vast provinces.

For centuries, Calcio Storico disappeared from the pages of history, slipping into the shadows of time. Not even Dante Alighieri, who in his Divine Comedy captured the essence of medieval life, left a trace of it in his verses. By the late 15th century, young Florentines had taken to the streets, reviving the game in their way. What began as an unruly contest soon demanded order, stricter rules, and stages.

The city squares became its new battlegrounds, and Carnival season its moment of splendor. The game flourished throughout the 17th century, but by the mid-1700s, its fire had dimmed. The last recorded match of that era was played in January 1739 before the watchful eyes of Maria Theresa of Austria. Then, silence. For nearly two centuries, the sport lingered only in memory, a ghost of a tradition that refused to be forgotten, until 1930. To celebrate its historical significance, the city revived the tradition, turning it into an annual spectacle that, except for the years of war, has never stopped beating in the heart of Florence.

The match that defined Calcio Storico’s soul

As I mentioned at the beginning, what keeps Calcio Storico alive is the unshakable will to remember one match above all others. It was 1530, and Florence was gasping under the weight of Charles V’s imperial siege. The city was exhausted, surrounded, and waiting for the inevitable. But instead of surrendering, 54 men reacted under the watchful eyes of an enemy who sought to crush them. It was no ordinary game: a provocation, a mockery of power, a way to show that Florence, even at the brink of collapse, would not kneel.

The imperial forces, stunned or scared—who knows?—responded the only way they knew how: they fired a cannonball over the heads of the players and the crowd. But not even the roar of artillery could shake the Bianchi d’Oltrarno or the Verdi di Quadarno from the field. They played on, untouched by fear, as if that match was their last act of rebellion; because, in many ways, it was. Call it fate or sheer defiance, but within months, the besieging army withdrew, and Florence reclaimed its freedom.

The rules of the game: a codified chaos

Though rules shift slightly from year to year, the core principles have remained unchanged for five centuries. The first written regulations, recorded by Giovanni Barghi, establish that each team consists of 27 players, all of whom must be either native Florentines or city residents for at least ten years—a requirement that ensures an unbreakable bond between the players and their neighborhoods. The teams are divided into goalkeepers, defensive backs, midfielders, and forwards, each with a precise role in the fray.

The match lasts 50 minutes, and the objective is simple yet brutal: to score more cacce than the opponent—that is, to send the ball into the net across the entire width of the short side. This challenge was made even fiercer by the midfielders known as Sconciatori, whose task is to block, obstruct, and disrupt the opposing team's play, preventing the Corridori, the strikers, from breaking through. Every successful caccia earns a point, but missing the goal is costly; when the ball flies over the net, the opposing team is awarded half a point, making every attempt a high-risk move. But the most defining rule? Anything goes. Punches, kicks, tackles, and precise long-range throws are all fair game.

A sport that evolves but preserves its identity

I hope I haven't frightened you. Though its soul remains untouched, Calcio Storico is a more controlled chaos. Certain moves, like blindside tackles, have been banned, and fights have shifted from wild melees to one-on-one clashes, where every blow is measured but no less fierce. Even the players have changed. Once, the field belonged to painters, electricians, and masons, men who carried the weight of their lives into the dust. Now, rugby players, boxers, and MMA fighters step into the arena, bringing with them the precision and power of modern combat sports.

Calcio Storico beyond Santa Croce

Tradition dictates that matches be played in Piazza Santa Croce, yet throughout history, Calcio Storico has ventured beyond Florence. In 1960, a game was played in Rome’s Piazza di Siena and later at the Stadio Olimpico. In 1976, it traveled to New York, in 1998 to Lyon, and in 1490 and 1605, the most surreal matches took place on the frozen waters of the Arno River. Yet, no matter where it is played, Calcio Storico does not belong to any single place; it belongs to Florence itself. A battle, a spectacle, and a legacy that refuses to fade.

We hope you enjoyed our guide to the fascinating Florentine sport of calcio storico! To discover more of the traditions and sights that make Florence a must-visit city, check out our range of expert-led guided tours in the City of the Medici here.