Giovanni Malagò has been formally elected as the new President of the Italian Football Federation, known as the FIGC, succeeding the outgoing Gabriele Gravina.
The election took place in Rome at FIGC headquarters, with 274 delegates drawn from across the Italian football ecosystem casting their votes on the day.
Malagò secured victory on the first ballot, claiming 68.58 per cent of the vote against rival candidate Giancarlo Abete, who received 29.17 per cent.
Blank ballots accounted for the remaining 2.25 per cent of the total, underlining the decisiveness of Malagò’s first-round win over his only opponent.
Malagò steps into the role fresh from leading the organising committee for the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics in February, an event widely praised for running smoothly.
His predecessor Gravina resigned following Italy’s historic failure to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup, leaving the federation in urgent need of new leadership.
The Azzurri were eliminated in a playoff defeat by Bosnia and Herzegovina in April, a result that triggered an immediate chain of high-profile departures from the national setup.
Head coach Gennaro Gattuso resigned in the aftermath of that defeat, while former goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon also stepped down from his role as national team delegation head.
Prominent figures including former striker Roberto Baggio had previously warned that Italy’s system for developing young talent was no longer fit for purpose.
Malagò wasted little time in setting a collaborative tone after his election, stating: “Alone I can do nothing, together we can do everything.”
One of his most pressing duties will be appointing a new coach for the Nazionale as the federation begins what is expected to be a sweeping overhaul of Italian football.
The FIGC election carries significant implications for the gambling industry, with both candidates having backed a dedicated so-called Right-to-Bet tax on licensed bookmakers.
Both Malagò and Abete had proposed a two per cent allocation of betting turnover or proceeds to be earmarked for the rebuilding of Italian football infrastructure.
The election is also viewed as pivotal in shaping how Italy handles the repeal and replacement of the Dignity Decree of 2018, which imposed a blanket ban on gambling advertising and sponsorships.
As the new FIGC President, Malagò will enter negotiations with Italy’s Olympic Committee CONI and Serie A over the future relationship between professional sport and betting.
Those talks will be overseen by Sports Minister Andrea Abodi and carry added urgency given Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s instruction for economic reform proposals to be submitted by September for Italy’s 2027 Budget.
