Football (which we call American Football here in Italy, because for us, 'football' means what Americans call 'soccer') is a sport that, over the years, has carved out a niche following in Italy, with a modest-level league, fairly competitive teams, and a history filled with memorable moments.
Football first came to Italy during World War II, when Allied troops passed through the country during the liberation from the Nazis. The first official game was played on November 23, 1944, at the Stadio della Vittoria in Bari, in the region of Puglia. On December 31, 1945, in Florence, more than 25,000 spectators watched the Bridgebusters (representing the 12th Air Force) face off against the Mudders (from the U.S. Fifth Army) in one of the most iconic games in Italian American football history. The first peacetime exhibition game was held in 1948 at the United States Troops Stadium in Trieste.
But it wasn’t until the 1970s that the sport began to spread, thanks to the influence of American sports culture and the passion of a few Italian pioneers. In 1977, the first informal teams started forming, made up mainly of students and workers who had spent time in the United States. The turning point came in 1981, with the founding of the Federazione Italiana di American Football (FIAF), which marked the beginning of an official first-division national league. That same year, the first tournament was played, and excitement began to grow—especially among fans, who started packing stadium stands.
Italians fell in love with the sport. National TV networks began by broadcasting NFL games, which drew large audiences, and as the Italian league became more competitive, they started airing domestic games as well.
Over the more than 40 years since the first-division league began, several teams have emerged as dominant and influential forces in the Italian football scene. Among them are the Milano Seamen, one of Italy’s most decorated teams, with numerous championships and regular appearances in the Italian Bowl finals; the Parma Panthers, made internationally famous by John Grisham’s novel Playing for Pizza, which tells the story of an American quarterback in Italy; the Bologna Warriors, one of the sport’s historic clubs, founded in the early 1980s; and the Bergamo Lions, who dominated the 1990s and 2000s and hold the record for most titles won.
Notable players and coaches who left a mark on the sport in Italy include Giancarlo Pitton, a seasoned player and coach; Chris Ault, who played a key role in developing the sport in Italy; Andrea Fimiani, a longtime quarterback for the Italian national team and a leader across several clubs; and Nick Garrett, a former American player who spent many years playing in the Italian league.
Today, there are more than 100 teams affiliated with the Italian federation, which oversees competitions across different divisions, totaling around 7,000 players. Italy’s national team has won the European Championship three times and ranks among the strongest in Europe, alongside Finland, Germany, and Great Britain.
In recent years, interest in American football has grown even more. In 2023, for the first time ever, the Italian Bowl - Italy’s version of the Super Bowl - was played in the United States. And on June 28th, it will happen again: the Italian Bowl returns to the U.S., where the Ancona Dolphins and the Firenze Guelfi will face off in Toledo, Ohio, at the home stadium of the Toledo Rockets, a Division I NCAA team.
The future of American football in Italy is full of challenges, but the passion for the game continues to grow, promising even more excitement for its many dedicated fans.