by InTrieste
The city of Pordenone, designated Italy’s Capital of Culture for 2027, is set to expand its program to include a series of international sporting events, with a particular focus on rugby, regional officials announced this week.
Mario Anzil, the vice governor of the Friuli Venezia Giulia region, presented a measure approved by the regional government authorizing a partnership with the regional committee of the Italian Rugby Federation. The agreement will support a multi-year initiative titled “GOGO7 Pordenone 2026–2027,” scheduled to run between June and July 2026 and continue through 2027.
The project will center on an international rugby sevens tournament — a fast-paced variation of the sport played with seven players per side — featuring teams from Italy, Belgium, Croatia and Germany, as well as prominent Italian clubs including Benetton, Zebre and Fiamme Oro. Organizers also plan a series of related events, including conferences, exhibitions and community activities aimed at broadening public engagement with the sport.
The regional government has allocated €330,000 to the initiative, divided evenly across the two years.
Speaking at the presentation, Mr. Anzil described rugby as a sport rooted in tradition yet widely relevant today, emphasizing its focus on teamwork, discipline and respect for opponents. He suggested that these values align with the broader social and cultural ambitions of the 2027 program, which aims to build on the spirit of exchange and development fostered by previous initiatives such as GO!2025, the cross-border cultural project involving Gorizia and Nova Gorica.
The addition of sporting events reflects a broader effort to diversify the cultural calendar and position Pordenone as a hub for both cultural and civic engagement during its year in the national spotlight.
