Four contrade chosen for Siena's 2026 Palio race

On May 31, Siena's city hall held the traditional draw to select the four contrade that will join the six permanent participants in the Palio di Siena scheduled for 2 July 2026. The newly drawn contrade are Bruco, Drago, Valdimontone and Oca, while the six that run by right are Onda, Civetta, Giraffa, Leocorno, Aquila and Torre. The ceremony took place at the Palazzo Comunale at 19:00 in the presence of Mayor Nicoletta Fabio and the captains of the seventeen contrade. Following the draw, the ten captains proposed Renato Bircolotti for the position of mossiere for the July race, a nomination that must be confirmed by the municipal administration.

The draw also highlighted the ongoing situation of five contrade—Bruco, Drago, Pantera, Tartuca and Valdimontone—that risk missing the 2026 race after competing in both July and August races the previous year. This year, four of them will be admitted, thanks to the pending disqualification of the Nicchio contrada. The event will fill Piazza del Campo with spectators awaiting the final lineup before the historic race.