Federico Buffa is a sports journalist and a leading voice for the broadcaster Sky Sport. Born in Milan in 1959, he made his debut as a commentator for Telereporter after graduating with a degree in Law. In the early 1990s, he joined TV Koper Capodistria, working alongside his colleague Flavio Tranquillo as a basketball color commentator. Their partnership marked an exciting chapter in Italian sports journalism, continuing for over a decade with NBA broadcasts on Tele+ and later on Sky Sport. His exceptional storytelling skills led him to host anthological programs, most notably the cult show Federico Buffa racconta, dedicated to immortal sports champions. It is primarily within this format that Buffa proves to be – as television critic Aldo Grasso stated – "an extraordinary storyteller, capable of creating genuine culture; that is, establishing links, creating connections, and opening digressions." Parallel to his television career, where he successfully hosts the talk show Federico Buffa Talks alongside Federico Ferri, he has built a prolific theatrical and literary career. Following the success of Storie mondiali (a 2014 book and a memorable stage play about the 1936 Berlin Olympics), Muhammad Ali (2017), and La Milonga del fútbol (a play about the glories of Argentine football, later published as a book by Rizzoli in 2024), Buffa has enjoyed highly successful seasons in theater. In 2026, he created the play Otto Infinito, centered on the figure of Kobe Bryant, and subsequently launched a national tour in the summer of the same year with Number 23, based on the life of Michael Jordan, alongside the musical show Il futuro è tra mezz'ora, dedicated to the music of Lucio Dalla.

(photo: © Festivaletteratura)