On June 25, 1961, at the municipal stadium “Kleine Allmend” in Frauenfeld, the final of the first edition of the Italian Cup (Coppa Italia) – organized by the Federazione delle Colonie Libere Italiane in Svizzera – was played. The Colonie Libere represents an unicum – an exception – within the long and widespread tradition of migrant associationism. The first Colony arose from the mid-1920s thanks to the work of those who flee from fascism; after 1943 more than a hundred Colonies were opened across the Swiss Confederation. These headquarters supported the growing Italian migrant population in Switzerland – as the country hosted approximately half of all Italian immigrants after World War II. In addition, the Colonies founded over 30 football teams. Cultural and recreational activities, such as sport, had the important role of uniting different communities. Football, the national sport of Italy, represented a tool and a moment of confrontation in the host country. Competing on the football field was a challenge filled by the daily life experiences of the players, which were often made of mistrust, prejudice, and even racism. This football movement, on the one hand revisited the contrasts between Swiss and Italians and, on the other hand, produced increasing levels of understanding and dialogue between the migrant communities.