The former CONI president wins with 68.58% of the vote and immediately faces major decisions: the new Italy coach, a possible technical director, government relations and the future of the Azzurri.
A new era has officially begun for Italian football. Giovanni Malagò has been elected president of the Italian Football Federation, winning 68.58% of the vote and defeating Giancarlo Abete, who stopped at 29.17%.
The result confirms Malagò’s status as the clear favorite, but the size of the victory was still significant. The former CONI president started from a declared base of support of around 54%, backed by Serie A, Serie B, the Italian Players’ Association and the Coaches’ Association. His final tally showed that he managed to attract additional votes from other areas of the federation, including part of the amateur and lower-division world.
“I’m happy,” Malagò said after the election. “Anything above 61% was important. Only an arrogant person could think that every single component that declared support would vote unanimously.”
Malagò takes over at one of the most delicate moments in the recent history of Italian football. The national team’s latest failure to qualify for the World Cup has deepened the sense of crisis around the Italian game, creating pressure for immediate and structural reform.
In his first remarks as FIGC president, Malagò acknowledged the difficulty of the situation and made it clear that change will be necessary.
“My choice was an act of love and lucid madness,” he said. “The first priority is to bring the team together. Then comes the technical project. Finally, we need to rebuild a relationship with politics, or at least with part of politics.”
One of the first major issues on his desk will be the choice of the new Italy head coach. Malagò said he has not yet made a decision and stressed that the process will not be rushed. The first Federal Council meeting is scheduled for July 1, and it remains to be seen whether a name will already be proposed at that stage.
Before choosing the coach, Malagò may introduce a new technical structure inside the federation. One idea strongly supported by several figures in Italian football is the appointment of a technical director, possibly a former player with executive experience, who could serve as a link between the federation president, the national team coach and the wider Azzurri system.
Paolo Maldini is viewed by many as an ideal profile for that role, while Frederic Massara has also been mentioned. Malagò is also expected to evaluate new positions for figures such as Sara Gama and Luca Bergamini within the broader Club Italia project.
“The Italy coach, regardless of the profile, must fully embrace this adventure,” Malagò said. “But first we need to look at the federation’s financial situation.”
The relationship with the Italian government will be another crucial front. Malagò is expected to reopen dialogue with Minister for Sport and Youth Andrea Abodi, with whom he has had disagreements in the past. The two are scheduled to meet soon.
Among the main political and economic issues on the table are possible fiscal measures to help Italian clubs attract top foreign players, the future of betting advertising restrictions and the idea of allocating a percentage of betting revenue back into football. According to Malagò’s camp, those resources could be reinvested in youth development and infrastructure.
Euro 2032 will also be a major challenge. Italy is set to co-host the tournament with Turkey, but the stadium issue remains central. Malagò said he has already spoken with UEFA president Aleksander Čeferin and received messages from FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
“It is a challenge within the challenge,” Malagò said. “We need to identify the five stadiums.”
The new FIGC president does not intend to completely discard the work done by outgoing president Gabriele Gravina, but the message is clear: Italian football must change direction. After years of disappointment on the international stage, Malagò arrives with the mandate to restore credibility, rebuild the national team project and reconnect the federation with the political, economic and sporting forces around it.
The vote has given him strength. Now comes the difficult part: turning consensus into reform.
