Cilento 8-a-Side Football Tournament

A summer tournament uniting lower Cilento

The Cilento 8-a-Side Football Tournament is the most anticipated sporting event of the summer in Torre Orsaia, a small town in the Province of Salerno, Campania, nestled in the hills of the Cilento, Vallo di Diano and Alburni National Park. Launched by the Pro Loco Torre Orsaia, the tournament has established itself in just a few editions as one of the most cherished social gatherings in the area: for nearly three weeks, between mid-June and early July, football becomes the perfect excuse to meet up, cheer, and spend summer evenings outdoors.

The «Pietro Giudice» pitch in Castel Ruggero

All matches are played at the «Pietro Giudice» sports field in Castel Ruggero, a hamlet of Torre Orsaia that remained an independent municipality until 1929. It is a simple, welcoming local facility that fills up every evening during the tournament with families, young people, and curious spectators arriving from neighboring towns. The lights shining on the pitch, the chatter on the sidelines, and the post-match commentary are just as much a part of the experience as the final score.

Twelve teams, twenty-six matches

The format is 8-a-side football: twelve registered teams, an initial qualifying phase, and then knockout rounds leading to the final. The 2026 edition featured approximately 175 players across 26 matches spread over 13 matchdays, from June 17 to July 3. It is a packed schedule that allows fans to follow the tournament almost every evening, keeping the excitement high until the very last whistle.

Represented towns

The event has a clear regional vocation: the teams come from various towns in lower Cilento and the coast, including:

• Torre Orsaia, the organizing municipality;
• Centola and Palinuro, on the coastal side;
• Celle di Bulgheria, in the Bussento hinterland;
• Policastro Bussentino, on the Gulf of Policastro;
• Vallo della Lucania, a central hub of inland Cilento.

This wide geographical reach is one of the tournament's defining traits: on the pitch, young people who live dozens of kilometers apart meet to find a shared opportunity for sporting competition and friendship.

Much more than a competition

The organizers emphasize one point: the Cilento Tournament is not just a game. Alongside sporting trophies, memorial awards are presented in honor of local youths who passed away prematurely — the «Carlo Nicolella» memorial, in memory of a seventeen-year-old from Torre Orsaia, and the «Domenico Giacobbe Magliano» award, dedicated to a sixteen-year-old from San Giovanni a Piro. A commitment to fair play and healthy sporting values accompanies the entire event, including individual awards for the best goalkeeper and top scorer.

When to go and what to expect

The tournament takes place in the heart of the Cilento summer, when inland villages are once again populated by vacationers and returning emigrants. Attending an evening at the «Pietro Giudice» field is a simple and authentic way to connect with the community life of inland Cilento, away from the crowded beaches but only a few kilometers away. Visitors can easily combine a match with a day at the seaside, a visit to the village of Torre Orsaia, or a hike in the National Park.

Organizers

The event is managed by the Pro Loco Torre Orsaia, an association that promotes the local area through cultural, tourist, and sporting initiatives throughout the year. The tournament is its flagship summer event, involving dozens of volunteers in administration, refereeing, public hospitality, and catering. It is thanks to this voluntary work that an event born in a small town in Campania manages to involve an entire region every year.