There's one week left. Applications for the CONI Trophy 2026 close on 10 September, and for six Italian-Swiss boys or girls that application is worth a place on the field of the national final, in Puglia, alongside teams from all over Italy and Italian communities around the world.
The CONI Trophy is not just any competition. It's the multidisciplinary celebration of Italian youth sports: thousands of Under-14 youngsters, dozens of disciplines, four days where you compete seriously but above all go home with the names and phone numbers of those you met on the field. This year the final takes place in Bari and Capurso from 4 to 7 October: opening and parade of teams on the 4th, competitions on the 5th and 6th in 42 disciplines, awards and closing on the 7th.
Switzerland is there, in the Italian communities section
The Swiss delegation participates as a guest within the "Italian Communities Abroad" section, which brings together young Italian descendants living outside Italy. This means that a youngster from Zurich or Geneva finds themselves competing alongside peers from Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Australia. For many it's the first time that being Italian stops being a family matter and becomes a team.
There are six places for the Swiss constituency. The selection is made by the National CONI Delegation in Switzerland, led by delegate Cirano Tondi, and with equal requirements looks at three things: that cantons are represented, that disciplines are different from each other, and that there is documented competitive experience.
