Bancarella Sport Award
The booksellers' literary award dedicated to sports books, held in Pontremoli
About Bancarella Sport
A literary award with a rich tradition
The Bancarella Sport Award is the most esteemed recognition in Italy dedicated to sports literature. Established in the mid-1960s as a spin-off of the famous Premio Bancarella, it is awarded annually in Pontremoli, a town in the Lunigiana area of the Massa-Carrara province, in the far north of Tuscany. What makes it unique in the landscape of literary prizes is that the winner is not chosen by critics, but by booksellers—the very people who put books into readers' hands every day.
The City of Books
Pontremoli is nicknamed the "City of Books" due to the ancient tradition of its local booksellers, the historic street vendors who traveled across Italy with their stalls (bancarelle). It is from these figures that the award takes its name. The event is organized by the Fondazione Città del Libro, in collaboration with the Unione Librai delle Bancarelle, the Unione Librai Pontremolesi, and Panathlon International - Italy District.
How the voting works
The award process takes place in several stages. Each year, a selection committee chooses about twenty semi-finalist volumes from the sports books published the previous year. From this pool, a shortlist of six finalists is selected, who are then presented to the public at various preview events across Italy. The final winner is announced in Pontremoli during a public vote count, overseen by a notary to ensure the integrity of the process.
The prize: the San Giovanni di Dio
The winner is presented with a statuette of San Giovanni di Dio, the special patron saint of booksellers. Over the years, the award has been given to major figures in sports and journalism; most recently, World Cup-winning goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon was honored in 2025 for his autobiography.
An event for enthusiasts
The final evening in Piazza della Repubblica brings together two worlds that rarely meet: books and sports. It is a unique opportunity to hear champions, coaches, journalists, and writers share the stories behind great sporting achievements, all set against a historic backdrop in the heart of the Tuscan Lunigiana.
Bancarella Sport — edition 2026
The 63rd edition of the Bancarella Sport Award concludes on Saturday, September 12, 2026, in Pontremoli, at Piazza della Repubblica, with the public vote count and the proclamation of the overall winner. The six finalists, already awarded the Selection Prize, were presented in the preceding weeks during several preview events, including the one in Lucca on June 8, 2026, organized by Panathlon.
Programme Bancarella Sport 2026
Saturday, September 12, 2026 — Pontremoli, Piazza della Repubblica
Final evening with public vote counting and proclamation of the overall winner of the 63rd edition. The winner receives the San Giovanni di Dio statuette, the patron saint of booksellers.
The 2026 shortlist of finalists
- Strade nere — Marco Pastonesi (Ediciclo Editore), Selection Prize winner
- La mia Olimpia in 100 storie + 1 — Dan Peterson and Umberto Zapelloni (Edizioni Minerva)
- La storia del tennis in 50 ritratti — Paolo Bertolucci and Vincenzo Martucci (Carlo Gallucci Editore)
- La profezia. Magic Márquez — Claudio Marcello Costa (Edizioni del Girasole)
- Dal vostro inviato — Alberto Cerruti (Ultra Sport)
- Claudio Chiappucci. I luoghi del Diablo — Claudio Chiappucci and Federico Vergari (Lab DFG)
Previews
- June 8, 2026 — Lucca, preview organized by Panathlon (16th consecutive edition)
Highlights Bancarella Sport 2026
Prices Bancarella Sport 2026
Practical information — Bancarella Sport
Getting there
Pontremoli is located in Lunigiana, in the far north of Tuscany. By car, it is accessible via the A15 Parma-La Spezia motorway (Pontremoli exit). By train, the Pontremoli station is served by the Pontremolese line (Parma-La Spezia).
Venue
The final vote-counting ceremony takes place in Piazza della Repubblica, in the historic center of Pontremoli.
Admission
The public announcement event in the square is free and open to everyone.
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Where does it take place — Bancarella Sport
Piazza della Repubblica
Piazza della Repubblica, 54027 Pontremoli