24 Hours of Football in Toscanella

Twenty-four hours of uninterrupted football

The 24 Hours of Football in Toscanella is one of the most beloved and long-standing events in the hamlet of Toscanella, in the Municipality of Dozza, in the province of Bologna (Emilia-Romagna). The idea is simple and brilliant at the same time: a football match that lasts uninterruptedly for twenty-four hours, from 8:00 PM to 8:00 PM the following day. Teams of all ages and levels take turns on the parish sports field, with a minimum of 7 and a maximum of 11 players per side engaged in each hour of play.

A tradition born in 1991

The event was born in 1991 from the intuition of a group of friends connected to the parish of Santa Maria del Carmine in Toscanella. Since then, the event has been repeated every year, becoming a classic of the Dozza summer: in recent editions, over 300 players have taken to the field in various time slots, with incredible results (in one edition, the final score approached 250 goals overall). The organization is managed by the M.C.L. Sabbioso Cultural and Sports Club, with the patronage of the Municipality of Dozza.

More than a match: a community celebration

What makes the 24 Hours special is not just the sporting endurance, but the festive atmosphere that accompanies every moment. The program alternates actual matches with many side events that involve the entire town:

• Over 40 Old Glories: former players return to the field at the beginning of the evening.
• Challenge between bands: the local brass bands compete with the ball.
• Women's Football: the match dedicated to women in the late afternoon.
• Matches for the youngest: space for Under 11 children and youth categories in the morning and early afternoon.
• The final challenge between sponsors, which closes the twenty-four hours.

The food stand

The pulsating heart of the festival is the food stand, active throughout the event. It ranges from dinner with strozzapreti, piadine, and arrosticini to breakfast on the field at dawn with freshly baked pasta for those who played at night, to free ice pops distributed during the hottest hours of the afternoon. A mix of sport, conviviality, and Romagna gastronomy that attracts families and fans from all over the Imola area every year.

Where it takes place

The event is held in Toscanella di Dozza, at the parish sports field, easily accessible along the Via Emilia between Imola and Castel San Pietro Terme. The hamlet of Toscanella is the plain part of the Municipality of Dozza, distinct from the famous walled village of Dozza on the hill, known for its Rocca and painted walls.