Giovanni Malagò, the former head of the Milan‑Cortina Olympics committee, has been elected president of the Italian Football Federation with 68.58% of the vote, a decisive margin over his sole rival Giancarlo Abete, who gathered 29.17%.
A mandate with immediate challenges
His first priority will be to appoint a successor to Gennaro Gattuso, who left the national team setup after a turbulent period, a decision that has already put Roberto Mancini and Antonio Conte at the top of the federation’s shortlist.
Mancini, who guided Italy to the Euro 2020 championship and later coached Saudi Arabia’s national side and Al‑Sadd in Qatar, is viewed as a candidate who could restore the Azzurri’s tactical identity, while Conte, who steered Italy at Euro 2016 and most recently stepped down from Napoli, is also being considered for his proven ability to manage high‑profile squads.
Heading the federation adds another layer to Malagò’s already extensive sporting résumé; he previously served as president of the Italian Olympic Committee and remains an International Olympic Committee member, succeeding Gabriele Gravina, who resigned after Italy’s World Cup qualifying playoff defeat to Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The election underscores a broader reshaping of Italian football leadership, with the new president promising a swift resolution to the coaching vacancy and a focus on revitalising the national side ahead of upcoming international competitions.