Ballando con le Stelle 2026: Matri and Aurora Ramazzotti confirmed as first contestants

First contestants revealed

The 21st edition of Ballando con le Stelle, the Italian dance show hosted by Milly Carlucci on Rai 1, is taking shape with its first two official contestants. Former footballer Alessandro Matri was confirmed as the first competitor, with the announcement arriving via a video on the show's Instagram page. In the clip, Matri is seen at home in a tank top and shorts attempting dance steps, when his wife Federica Nargi bursts in dressed as a dancer. Nargi, a former contestant herself who finished third in the 2024 edition paired with dancer Luca Favilla, tries teaching him the jive before giving up with an ironic remark.

Matri then addressed viewers directly, confirming his participation in the upcoming season.

Quest'anno ci sono cascato pure io ragazzi, a ottobre sarò un nuovo concorrente di Ballando con le stelle. Mi raccomando, abbiate pazienza. Ciao ragazzi

Aurora Ramazzotti joins the cast

The second official contestant is Aurora Ramazzotti, the 29-year-old presenter and content creator, daughter of Michelle Hunziker and Eros Ramazzotti. Her announcement also came through the show's social media channels in a video styled as an ironic job interview. When asked about a personal flaw, she admitted to being a bit uncoordinated, answered with a firm no when asked if she could dance, and responded occasionally to whether she has rhythm. She also displayed allergic reactions to the prospect of accepting judges' criticism or leaving her comfort zone. Despite failing the test on paper, the recruiter welcomed her to the show. Ramazzotti replied using several accents, from French-accented English to British English, and described the video as showcasing her 27 personalities in one minute.

Un mio difetto? Sono un po' scoordinata

Ramazzotti recently married Goffredo Cerza at Castello Xirumi Serravalle in Sicily, where the couple performed a choreographed first dance to Love on the Brain by Rihanna and El Tango de Roxanne. On the wedding day she also presented her debut EP, Un giorno di festa, containing five tracks. Four songs recount moments from her relationship with Cerza, while the fifth is a cover of Raf's Infinito. The EP was performed live during the wedding and later published on digital platforms.

Rumored contestants and schedule

Milly Carlucci had previously announced on social media that the cast was complete, and while only Matri and Ramazzotti are confirmed, several names are circulating. According to Il Messaggero, the first episode is expected on October 3. Rumored contestants include Jimmy Ghione, a Striscia la Notizia correspondent since 1998; Riccardo Rossi, who served as a juror on Canzonissima last year; singer Eugenio Finardi, who turned 74 on July 16 and celebrated 50 years of career; Noemi Bocchi, partner of Francesco Totti, who has never given interviews; Ukrainian actress Anna Safroncik; and Alberto Ravagnani, who left the priesthood in February and has since built a large social media following. The same period will see Ilary Blasi return for her second consecutive edition hosting Grande Fratello Vip, creating a visibility overlap that could fuel gossip given the connections between some rumored contestants.