The Most Beautiful Match in the World — Emilio Vigolungo Memorial

Sport as a vehicle for solidarity

In the town of Canale, in the province of Cuneo and the heart of the Piedmontese Roero, The Most Beautiful Match in the World is much more than a sporting event: it is a charity initiative that weaves together football, fine dining, and social commitment to support Casa UGI (Italian Parents Union), the residential facility that provides free accommodation to families of children and adolescents undergoing treatment at the pediatric onco-hematology ward of the Regina Margherita Hospital in Turin. Launched in 2023, the event reached its third edition in 2026, dedicated to the memory of Emilio Vigolungo.

A four-day weekend

The event features various appointments spread across Canale and the Langhe. It opens with The Most Beautiful Dinner in the World, a gala evening with great Italian chefs, and continues with free evening shows in Piazza Italia, a traveling dinner through the villages, and the presentation of the Alter Ego Piemont Prize, awarded to ambassadors and figures linked to the Piedmont region. The highlight is the grand match at the Malabaila sports field, which gives the entire initiative its name.

The most beautiful match, truly

The emotional heart of the event is the tournament bringing together mixed teams of young cancer survivors from major Italian pediatric onco-hematology centers—from the Regina Margherita in Turin to the Gaslini in Genoa, the Gemelli in Rome, and the Santobono-Pausilipon in Naples—as well as international institutions like the Princess Máxima Center in Utrecht. It is a match where the score matters less than the victory already achieved: the one over illness.

Concrete solidarity

All proceeds from the event fund the annual adoption of a residential unit at Casa UGI in Turin, ensuring free housing for families forced to relocate for their children's treatment. It is a concrete gesture that transforms a passion for sport and fine food into real support, following the motto that accompanies the event: doing good makes you feel good.

Canale and the Roero

Canale is the main hub of the Roero, a land of hills, vineyards, and great wines like Arneis and Nebbiolo. The choice of this village in the province of Cuneo is no coincidence: the area, already renowned for its food and wine and the Peach Fair, embraces the initiative by involving local Pro Loco associations and producers, turning solidarity into a community celebration.