News Focus
- Giovanni Malagò will submit his official candidacy for the FIGC Presidency on Wednesday
- The former Italian Olympic Committee chief has won support from Lega Serie B, Serie A, and player associations
- He faces rival Giancarlo Abete for the role vacated by Gabriele Gravina after Italy’s World Cup failure
- The election uses a weighted voting system involving professional leagues and amateur associations
- Malagò now holds a clear majority of electoral votes ahead of the ballot
Former Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) president Giovanni Malagò has formally declared his intention to become the next leader of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC). He made this announcement on Tuesday evening. Malagò confirmed he will submit his official papers on Wednesday.
His decision follows fresh support from Lega Serie B. This adds to existing backing from Serie A, the players’ union, and the coaches’ association. These groups together control a significant portion of the electoral votes.
Malagò is competing against Giancarlo Abete for the position. The role became empty when Gabriele Gravina left office. Gravina stepped down immediately after Italy failed to reach the 2026 World Cup finals in March.
The upcoming election involves several key groups. Serie A holds 18 per cent of votes through 20 delegates. Serie B controls 6 per cent with 20 delegates. Serie C has 12 per cent through 57 delegates. The amateur leagues possess the largest share at 34 per cent with 99 delegates. The players’ association holds 20 per cent via 52 delegates. Finally, the coaches’ association commands 10 per cent through 26 delegates.
With support from both top divisions plus the players and coaches, Malagò appears to hold a strong position ahead of the vote.