Professional (and amateur) sports to see in Bologna

Bologna is also the capital of the Emilia-Romagna Sport Valley: from amateur sport to major international events, sport is practiced everywhere in Bologna. Stadiums, arenas and sports fields host famous professional teams in Italy and abroad, together with particularly virtuous amateur realities: here's who they are and where to see them.

BASKETBALL

If you are interested in basketball, welcome to Basket City, the Italian city that perhaps more than any other lives basketball with a passion, a boundless faith, for its local teams. Which teams? They are, of course, Virtus Bologna, highly titled in Italy and Europe, and Fortitudo Bologna, which is struggling to regain the splendor of the beginning of the century but continues to conquer half of the hearts under the Two Towers.

The black Vs are building their new home in the fair area, and in the meantime they alternate matches between the Segafredo Arena in pavilion 37 of the Bologna Fiera and the good old PalaDozza, the home field of the Fortitudo.

The athletes of the women's Virtus Pallacanestro Bologna also play here, a team born in 2019 and already a high-level protagonist.

There is more to say about the Paladozza, also known as "little Madison", an arena with a total capacity of more than 5,000 seats, within which the view of the pitch is perfect, both from the sidelines and from the most angled pigeon loft. Here, the Basketball Museum will soon be born, a space dedicated to this sport that aims to become a must-see in the city for fans of all ages.

FOOTBALL

In the Costa Saragozza neighbourhood, which is easily reachable from the centre, you can attend the matches of the glorious Bologna FC 1909 at the Renato Dall'Ara Stadium. "The squadron that makes the world tremble" is no longer at the levels of the first half of the last century which inspired this phrase, but it is now a permanent protagonist in the Serie A championship. The city's fans support is always strong, especially when more famous teams come to play in these parts.

BASEBALL

A decidedly less popular sport in Italy, but so much in vogue in the Bolognese summers. Baseball takes place at the Gianni Falchi Stadium! Fortitudo Baseball Bologna, born in the 1950s, is among the most successful teams in the Italian championship and a leading team also in Europe, with a mix of Italian and Latin American players.

CYCLING

For cycling enthusiasts, every year the best climbers battle it out in the Giro dell'Emilia with the traditional finish line in the Sanctuary of San Luca: it is the best opportunity in these parts to admire the professionals toiling on the tough ramps of the city sanctuary. And for amateurs who want to imitate the pros, the Gran Fondo Dieci Colli gathers more and more members every year with suggestive routes around the capital.

MOTORSPORT

If you prefer motorized two wheels, Bologna is in the heart of the Motor Valley. In Borgo Panigale, specifically, the "home team" is Ducati, an engine company that wins and gives great satisfaction to the Bolognese both in MotoGP and in Superbike. The Ducati Museum is also located here, where you can see the most successful motorbikes and the history of the legendary brand.

© Unibo Magazine.

OTHER REALITIES AND PARASPORTS

Cricket is also played in Bologna! A few kilometers from the city, the Pianoro Cricket Club is one of the most successful clubs in the Italian cricket championship.

Under the Two Towers, Ultimate Frisbee is also very strong with many leading clubs such as the Masi and Pontevecchio sports clubs or the CUSB.

They beat hard - but only in the ring - the boys and girls of Bolognina Boxe, a club that launches young talents on the national glove scene, such as the EBU Silver European champion of light weights and the first female boxer from Bologna to win the Tricolour of professionals Pamela Malvina Moutcho Sawa, won on 5 April 2024 at PalaDozza in Bologna.

Finally, how about Quidditch? The "sport" practiced in the world of Harry Potter is a full-fledged reality, with a mixed team that participates in international tournaments.

Then there is parasports, where you can follow teams such as the Rangers Pallavicini Bologna who practice wheelchair hockey and the Bradipi Bologna who play wheelchair basketball. There are also realities such as the Fondazione per lo Sport Silvia Parente, which offers support for tandem cycling, blind tennis, inclusive itineraries, among other initiatives. A more complete list of accessible sports disciplines and clubs is available > here.