Siena – Clouds, rain, no race. The 2026 Palio di Siena will not take place on its traditional date of July 2. Torrential rains have softened the tufo track in Piazza del Campo to such an extent that neither the Historical Procession nor the Carriera could be held safely. On Thursday morning, the City of Siena hoisted the green flag from the windows of the Palazzo Pubblico—the official sign that the event has been postponed.
The Provaccia, the final trial run before the actual race, had already been canceled that morning. According to a statement from the municipality, the rain had persisted from Wednesday evening well into Thursday morning, making it simply impossible to hold the event. Article 90 of the regulations stipulates that in such cases, the event is to be postponed to the following day.
Schedule for Friday, July 3
Weather permitting, everything will take place on Friday—at the same times. The first cannon shot will be fired at 3:30 p.m. as a prelude, followed by the second at 4:00 p.m. From 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., access to the so-called “Muschel”—the inner area of Piazza del Campo—will be open exclusively via Via Dupré, and only until the maximum permitted number of people has been reached. At 4:40 p.m., the racetrack will begin to clear; at 5:15 p.m., the Carabinieri Dragoon Detachment will ride in. The historical procession enters the piazza at 5:20 p.m. The event concludes at 7:30 p.m. with the horses leaving the Cortile del Podestà.
Postponed three times in a row
What used to be a rare exception is becoming a troubling trend: As early as 2024 and 2025, the Palio scheduled for July 2 had to be rescheduled to another day due to severe weather. Three postponements in three years—this trend is prompting observers to openly consider adjustments to the event’s format, after more than four centuries of unbroken tradition.
