While sports fans across the globe are locked in on the World Cup that kicked off this week in North America, a lesser-known tournament in Italy will boast a smaller fan following but not necessarily a less passionate one. The first semifinal of the nearly 500-year-old Calcio Storico Fiorentino begins Saturday at 6 p.m. (local time) just outside Florence's historic Santa Croce basilica.
The sport is a mix of rugby, soccer and MMA, played on a sand court about the size of an American football field, right in front of Santa Croce. Four teams will play in this weekend's semifinals, the winners of which will meet in the championship game/match/slugfest on June 24. At stake? A huge cow!
