Trento Sports Festival

From 1 to 4 October 2026, Trento will once again become the Italian capital of sport. For four days, the city will host the Trento Sports Festival, organised by La Gazzetta dello Sport and Trentino Marketing together with the Autonomous Province of Trento, the Municipality of Trento, the University of Trento and the Trento Tourist Board, under the patronage of CONI and the Italian Paralympic Committee.

Now in its ninth edition, the festival will once again transform the city centre of Trento into a large open-air stage dedicated to sport. Squares, theatres, historic buildings and iconic locations will host talks, interviews, live events and discussions featuring champions, coaches, sports executives, journalists and leading figures from the sporting world.

The theme chosen for the 2026 edition is “Invincibili”, a concept that explores the many sides of sport. On one hand are the athletes who have achieved extraordinary results, becoming icons and role models for generations. On the other are those who have overcome setbacks, injuries and defeats, finding the strength to return to competition.

The idea of being invincible, therefore, is not simply about winning medals or reaching the top. It is also about facing adversity, refusing to give up and finding the determination to start again.

Trento Sports Festival 2026: the first major guests

The first names on the programme were announced during the presentation of the ninth edition. This is only an initial preview, with the full schedule expected to be completed and unveiled in September.

The 2026 edition will once again have a strong international dimension, bringing some of the biggest names in the history of sport to Trento.

Among the announced guests are Armand Duplantis, two-time Olympic champion and world record holder, gymnastics legend Nadia Comăneci, MotoGP champion Casey Stoner, five-time Olympic swimming gold medallist Ian Thorpe and Lucas Pinheiro Braathen, Olympic champion in giant slalom at Milano Cortina 2026.

The festival will also celebrate the Italian athletes who recently reached the Olympic podium, including champions such as Federica Brignone, Francesca Lollobrigida, Arianna Fontana and Sofia Goggia. Paralympic sport will also have a strong presence, led by Giacomo Bertagnolli.

Football, champions and stories to tell

Football will play a major role in the festival programme. Former stars such as Adriano Leite Ribeiro, Franck Ribéry and Alexandre Pato will take part, alongside Ballon d'Or winner Gianni Rivera.

Also expected is Fabio Capello, who will celebrate his 80th birthday during an interview with Ferruccio de Bortoli. The festival will also look back at the historic Juventus team that won the Champions League in 1996, while Claudio Sala and Aldo Grasso will revisit Torino's 1976 league title triumph.

Football will also be represented by Marco Materazzi, who will take part in an event connected to his book about his career. The relationship between sport and passion will be explored in a conversation between La7 journalist and presenter Corrado Formigli and former Spanish footballer Borja Valero, with a focus on Fiorentina. Former Fiorentina captain Giancarlo Antognoni will also present his book.

Cycling and the UCI Super World Championships 2031

Cycling will be at the heart of one of the most anticipated events of the Trento Sports Festival 2026, with the presentation of the UCI Super World Championships 2031 project. The event is expected to bring twenty cycling disciplines together in a single major sporting competition in Trentino.

Several of Italy's greatest cycling champions will be in Trento, including Paolo Bettini, Giuseppe Saronni, Francesco Moser, Maurizio Fondriest and Alessandro Ballan, together with David Lappartient, president of the Union Cycliste Internationale.

The cycling programme will also feature an event with French legend Bernard Hinault.

Sport, relationships and great partnerships

The festival will also explore the theme of great couples, bringing together sport, personal life and shared passions.

Among the announced events are Danilo Gallinari, interviewed by his wife Eleonora Boi, and Arianna Fontana, together with her husband and coach Anthony Lobello. Marco Tardelli and Myrta Merlino will also appear on stage.

Another special meeting will bring together Nadia Battocletti and Malika Ayane, united by their passion for running.

The 2026 festival will also celebrate important sporting anniversaries, including the 30th anniversary of the Olympic gold medal won by Jury Chechi at the 1996 Atlanta Games.

Motor racing, tennis and winter sports

The world of motorsport will be represented by some of its biggest names. Alongside Casey Stoner, Trento will welcome Marco Lucchinelli, Nicolò Bulega, a leading figure in Superbike with Ducati, and two-time Formula 1 world champion Emerson Fittipaldi.

Among the most eagerly awaited guests is Julio Velasco, coach of the Italian women's volleyball team, who is expected to take part in the opening event.

Volleyball will also feature an event dedicated to Vero Volley Milano, with Paola Egonu and club president Alessandra Marzari. Basketball will be represented by Andrea Bargnani, now a manager at the Italian Basketball League, while tennis stars Fabio Fognini and Roberta Vinci will also be involved.

The programme will also cover gymnastics, diving, fencing and mountaineering, with appearances by Carolina Kostner, Aldo Montano, Tania Cagnotto and mountaineer Hans Kammerlander.

Surfing will be represented by Leonardo Fioravanti, while sailing will feature events dedicated to the America's Cup and Luna Rossa.

Audi and FISI: winter sports return to the heart of Trento

One of the festival's long-standing partnerships will once again take centre stage in 2026. The event organised by Audi in collaboration with FISI – the Italian Winter Sports Federation will bring some of Italy's leading snow and winter sports athletes to Piazza Dante and Via Verdi.

The programme will include the presentation of the Italian team for the new winter season, the handover of the official Audi fleet to the athletes and an exhibition of some of the German carmaker's most iconic models.

Trento becomes a giant sports village

The Trento Sports Festival will not be limited to talks and events. Throughout the four days, the historic centre of Trento will become a large sports village, with activities, camps, demonstrations and experiences open to the public.

Piazza Fiera will host activities dedicated to tennis, padel and table tennis. One of the new features of the 2026 edition will be a boxing camp, with appearances by champions including Clemente Russo, Irma Testa, Patrizio Oliva, Giacobbe Fragomeni and Sirine Charaabi.

The boxing ring will be set up in Piazza Dante, which will also host cycling activities, with appearances by leading champions, as well as volleyball and weightlifting areas.

Piazza Santa Maria Maggiore will host the climbing camp.

The Gazzetta Active Zone, an open-air gym designed for beginners, experienced athletes and curious visitors, will return, as will the Gazzetta Motori Paddock, dedicated to two- and four-wheel vehicles. One of the attractions will be a Ducati show bike from the Aruba Superbike Team.

Aaron Durogati and events in Piazza Duomo

One of the festival's most spectacular moments is expected to be the arrival of paragliding champion Aaron Durogati, who will reach the heart of Trento with a landing in Via Verdi, just a short distance from Piazza Duomo.

The city's main square will become one of the festival's central venues, hosting talks, meetings and discussions with leading figures from Italian and international sport.

The programme will include a performance by rhythmic gymnasts Sofia Raffaeli and Tara Dragas, two of the brightest stars of Italian rhythmic gymnastics.

Piazza Duomo will also host the Festival Bookstore, featuring a selection of books about champions, sporting achievements and great stories from the world of sport.

At Palazzo Benvenuti, visitors will find an area dedicated to sports books, with meetings with authors, personal stories and in-depth discussions.

Trento Sports Festival 2026: when is it?

The ninth edition of the Trento Sports Festival will take place from Thursday 1 to Sunday 4 October 2026. The complete programme and full list of guests will be announced in September.

For four days, Trento will be at the heart of Italian and international sport, bringing together champions, sporting legends, new generations and activities open to the public. Through the theme “Invincibili”, the festival aims to celebrate not only those who win, but also those who find the strength to get back up and keep chasing their goals.