FIGC President Giovanni Malagò has definitively blocked Andrea Pirlo’s candidacy to become Italy head coach following revelations of the former midfielder’s global ambassador role with sanctioned Russian gambling firm Fonbet. Malagò publicly shifted responsibility for the escalating crisis onto Pirlo and technical director Paolo Maldini, stating observers should consider “who made the bad impression” after Minister for Sport Andrea Abodi criticised Italian football’s handling of the affair.
The decision ends Pirlo’s hopes of leading the Azzurri after it emerged he holds a commercial contract with Fonbet, a Russian betting company banned in Italy. Strict national regulations prohibit the publicising of gambling, while international sanctions against Russian businesses following the invasion of Ukraine created additional political barriers. Pirlo’s visit to Moscow in May 2026 to promote the brand compounded the ethical questions surrounding his candidacy.
Club owner denies forcing contract
Speculation had suggested Pirlo entered the Fonbet agreement under pressure from FC United Dubai, where he currently manages, with claims that club president Sergey Lomakin held financial interests in the gambling group. However, Lomakin has firmly rejected this narrative. In a statement to La Gazzetta dello Sport, he declared he holds “no financial interests in Fonbet” and that “United FC Dubai… has no association with Fonbet either.” He added: “The supposed connection between Mr Lomakin, United FC and Fonbet does not exist.”
This denial eliminates a potential defence for Pirlo, suggesting the 2006 World Cup winner entered the arrangement personally rather than as a contractual club obligation. Without this mitigating circumstance, Pirlo appears individually responsible for partnering with a sanctioned entity while seeking to represent the Italian federation.
Technical director faces exit
The controversy has also engulfed Paolo Maldini, whom Malagò recently appointed as technical director of the national squad. Reports indicate Maldini continued pushing for Pirlo’s appointment even after the Fonbet scandal emerged, and he is now reportedly ready to resign just weeks into his role. Malagò’s pointed remark about who created the “bad impression” appeared directed at both Pirlo’s judgment and Maldini’s insistence on the appointment despite the regulatory violations.
The former AC Milan defender’s brief tenure now hangs in the balance. His reported determination to advance Pirlo’s candidacy amid mounting ethical concerns has drawn criticism from within the federation, potentially making his position untenable just weeks after his high-profile return to Italian football in an official capacity.
Federation accelerates search
With Pirlo’s path to the role definitively closed, the federation is working to identify an alternative candidate. Malagò confirmed progress on the appointment, stating: “We are working, soon you will know everything.” The episode leaves Pirlo stranded at FC United in the United Arab Emirates, his ambitions of leading the national team thwarted by the incompatibility of his commercial interests with the federation’s ethical and regulatory requirements.