Tacchi e Calci

Tacchi e Calci: the women's football match lighting up the summer in San Giovanni Lipioni

Tacchi e Calci is a sporting and community event held every summer in San Giovanni Lipioni, one of Italy's smallest villages, perched 545 meters above sea level in the Trigno Valley, at the southern edge of the Chieti province in Abruzzo. It is a friendly women's football match that, despite its local scale, has become one of the most anticipated and well-attended events of the August celebrations.

An idea born in 2023

The event was conceived and promoted by Vincenzo Finarelli and debuted in 2023, immediately becoming a staple of the local summer calendar. In just a few years, Tacchi e Calci has transformed into a collective ritual that draws residents, returning emigrants, and visitors from neighboring Alto Vastese towns like Torrebruna and Celenza sul Trigno.

How the match works

The heart of the event is a match played by two teams composed of local women and those from the surrounding area, who take to the field at the municipal sports facility. The formula blends competitive spirit with a festive atmosphere: they play to win, but above all to be together, laugh, and celebrate the community. Each edition features creative team names, improvised coaches, and local referees, creating a fun and engaging atmosphere.

A community event

Tacchi e Calci is more than just a game: it is a moment of gathering that reflects the resilient spirit of a small town marked by depopulation, which has used summer initiatives as a tool to keep the village's identity alive. The event is part of the rich calendar of August festivities, which includes food festivals, sporting events, and evenings in the square, and also serves as an opportunity to highlight the role of women in the community's social life.

San Giovanni Lipioni, a village to discover

Those who reach San Giovanni Lipioni for Tacchi e Calci will find an authentic village in the Abruzzo hinterland, featuring a historic center, the 17th-century church of Santa Maria delle Grazie, and views of the Trigno Valley, which marks the border with Molise. The event is the perfect opportunity to combine sports with a slow discovery of one of the most genuine corners of the Alto Vastese.