• The FIGC presidential election will take place on June 22 at the Rome Cavalieri Waldorf Astoria Hotel
• Giancarlo Abete enjoys backing from the amateur league, while Giovanni Malagò has Serie A support
• Malagò proposes incentives for clubs fielding young Italian talent and a national stadium construction plan
• The winner will lead efforts to modernise training facilities and potentially reduce the number of professional clubs
• Inter Milan chief Beppe Marotta and Juventus director Giorgio Chiellini are candidates for federation council positions

The Italian Football Federation (FIGC) is preparing to select a new president. Two candidates have officially entered the race to lead the governing body of calcio.

Giancarlo Abete and Giovanni Malagò will face voters on June 22. The election will take place at the Rome Cavalieri Waldorf Astoria Hotel. Both men submitted their candidacy papers before the required deadline, which fell 40 days prior to the vote.

Abete receives support from the Lega Nazionale Dilettanti, the organisation that oversees amateur football in Italy. Malagò, meanwhile, has secured the backing of Lega Serie A, the top-flight division.

The rivals have published their manifestos outlining plans for the sport. Malagò wants to create a reward system for Serie A sides that give playing time to young Italian footballers. He also backs a nationwide scheme to build modern stadiums and training centres across the country.

His proposal includes cutting the number of clubs in the league system. He also suggests forming a specialist management group to run Club Italia, the section that supports the national team.

The ballot will also decide new members of the federation council. Among those seeking posts are Beppe Marotta, president of Inter Milan, and Giorgio Chiellini, who now works as a director at Juventus.

• 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.

• The Associations of Italian footballers and coaches will select their preferred candidate today, Thursday, April 30, 2026
• Giovanni Malagò holds a slight advantage over former FIGC President Giancarlo Abete
• The official election for the Italian FA Chief will take place on June 22, 2026, requiring an absolute majority to win

Italian football stands at a crossroads today as the nation’s players and coaches prepare to cast their votes in a pivotal selection process. The Associations representing these groups will meet on Thursday, April 30, 2026, to decide which contender they will support for the top job at the Italian Football Federation (FIGC).

Although the official appointment of the new FIGC President will not occur until June 22 next year, today’s decision carries significant weight for the eventual outcome. Two prominent figures have emerged as the leading contenders for the position, though neither has formally declared their candidacy at this stage.

Giovanni Malagò currently appears to hold the upper hand in this contest. The experienced administrator serves as President of the Italian National Olympic Committee (CONI). His leadership track record at CONI, combined with reports suggesting he may bring a former professional footballer onto his team, has strengthened his position among voters.

His rival, Giancarlo Abete, faces an uphill battle despite his previous experience leading the federation. Abete held the FIGC presidency from 2007 until 2014, when he stepped down following Italy’s disappointing exit from the World Cup in Brazil. Both men have engaged extensively with voting members across recent weeks.

The electoral system demands that the winner secures an absolute majority, meaning they must obtain more than half of all available votes to claim victory.

• Giovanni Malagò will confirm his candidacy for the Italian Football Federation presidency by the end of next week.
• The former Olympic chief has received public support from Lega Serie A, the Players’ Association, and the Coaches’ Association.
• The election on June 22 follows Gabriele Gravina’s resignation after Italy failed to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.

Gabriele Gravina stepped down as President of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) following Italy’s failure to reach the 2026 World Cup. This resignation has triggered an election scheduled for June 22 to select a new leader for Italian football.

The race appears to feature two main contenders. Giovanni Malagò, who previously served as head of the Italian Olympic Committee, faces competition from Giancarlo Abete. Several powerful organisations have already declared their support for Malagò. Lega Serie A, which governs Italy’s top flight, has backed him publicly. The Players’ Association and the Coaches’ Association followed suit with their endorsements.

Despite this strong support, Malagò has not yet officially entered the contest. He stated that he appreciates the trust placed in him by these groups. However, he noted that this support brings extra responsibility as he weighs his options. He promised to reach a final decision before the weekend concludes. He also mentioned he wishes to respect the upcoming assemblies for Serie B and Serie C.

The election uses a weighted voting system. Different groups hold varying levels of influence. Lega Serie A controls 18 per cent of the vote. Serie B holds 6 per cent, while Lega Pro possesses 12 per cent. The amateur league, known as LND, commands the largest share at 34 per cent. Meanwhile, the Players’ Association accounts for 20 per cent and the Coaches’ Association holds 10 per cent of the total vote.