Castellarano Special Cup International

Sport that breaks down all barriers

The Castellarano Special Cup International is an international 5-a-side football tournament for special athletes held in Castellarano, a municipality in the province of Reggio Emilia, in Emilia-Romagna. Organized by the association A.S.D. Sportinsieme Castellarano, the event brings together sixteen teams from various Italian cities and several European countries for an entire weekend, in an event that combines sports competition, local celebration, and the promotion of inclusion for people with disabilities.

Sixteen teams, eleven Italian and five international

The tournament attracts sixteen teams each year: eleven Italian teams and five international ones. Among the foreign participants over the years have been AS Monaco from the Principality of Monaco, a team from Nice, the Catalan club Arquera Mataró from Barcelona, the English team Bootle Bucks Inclusion, and a team from San Marino. These are joined by Italian clubs that have long been involved in sports for special athletes, such as Polisportiva Olimpia Onlus from Cagliari, Reggiana, teams from Bologna, Padua, Florence, Fermo, as well as the host team Sportinsieme Castellarano.

A weekend of celebration and hospitality

The event goes far beyond the football pitch. On Friday, delegations are welcomed with an opening ceremony and a parade of athletes through the town streets, also enlivened by the participation of folk groups, followed by a welcome dinner. Saturday is entirely dedicated to the matches, while in the evening a grand gala dinner brings together athletes, companions, and volunteers. The teams are also symbolically paired with local volunteer associations, highlighting the strong link between the event and the local community.

Castellarano: capital of inclusion

With the motto «Without borders, without barriers: sport overcomes every obstacle», the Special Cup transforms the village of Val Secchia into a true capital of inclusion for three days. The matches are played on the synthetic pitch of the San Giovanni Bosco Sports Centre, on Via Chiaviche, divided into three adapted 5-a-side football pitches where teams compete at three different competitive levels. Admission is free, and the public is invited to support all athletes in a festive atmosphere that focuses on the social value of sport.