Italian American football is celebrating its connection with the United States. As FIDAF President Leoluca Orlando said on Thursday, June 25, during the Italian premiere at CONI of the docufilm Touchdown Italia – An American Dream, attended by CONI President Luciano Buonfiglio: “American football is the only sport that carries the name of a nation, because it is closely tied to its country of origin. As a Federation, we could either endure this peculiarity or embrace it, becoming a bridge with the United States. We chose the second path…”
To strengthen this bond between Italy and the United States, FIDAF decided a few seasons ago to hold the Italian Bowl, the Italian version of the Super Bowl, in alternating years: one year in Italy and one year in the United States.
Touchdown Italia – An American Dream tells the story of last season’s Italian Bowl, played in Toledo. The docufilm is directed by Davide Ippolito and produced by N41 Studios in association with LuckyHorn Entertainment. It has also been available on Amazon Prime Video for the past few days.
Ferrara is now preparing to host this season’s Italian Bowl on Saturday, July 4. Ahead of the event, a special screening of Touchdown Italia – An American Dream was organized on Thursday, July 2, for insiders and fans who will experience the event up close.
The screening was attended by Davide Ippolito and Allegra Baistrocchi, a diplomat at the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and former Consul in Detroit, who played a key role in making the American event possible and in the creation of the docufilm that celebrated it.
It was a symbolic moment in the build-up to the Italian Bowl, confirming the growing role of the Final as an opportunity for sporting and cultural connection between Italy and the United States.
The film, made in collaboration with FIDAF, focuses on Guelfi Firenze and Dolphins Ancona.
Davide Ippolito experienced this story from the inside, training with both teams before the Final and sharing with the players the preparation, the locker rooms, the anticipation and the emotions that preceded a special game.
Touchdown Italia – An American Dream is not only the story of a final, but also a journey inside a sporting movement built on passion, sacrifice, identity and belonging. In an America where football has become an industry, a spectacle and a major business, the film shows the most authentic side of the sport through the eyes of those who, in Italy, continue to play it with dedication and a pure spirit.
Its release on Amazon Prime Video, now accompanied by the special screening in Ferrara, fits naturally into the build-up to the 2026 Italian Bowl, confirming the growth of American football in Italy and the work carried out by the Federation, the IFL League and the teams across the country.
The docufilm has Davide Ippolito, Simone D’Andria and Emanuele Scamardella as executive producers. The project’s artistic direction is by Simone De Salvatore, while the original music is by Cristiano Cosa and Andrea Pettine, with Davide Pannozzo’s “Leroy’s Blues” accompanying the closing credits.