Italian football is at a crossroads, and Serie A clubs have made their choice for a new leader. In a decisive move on Monday, the league's clubs endorsed Giovanni Malago, the former head of the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics organizing committee, for the presidency of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC). This push for fresh leadership comes in the wake of the Azzurri's painful failure to qualify for a third consecutive FIFA World Cup, a period of deep introspection for the sport in Italy.
Ezio Simonelli, president of Serie A, announced that 18 of the league's 20 clubs had selected Malago to succeed the outgoing Gabriele Gravina. Gravina stepped down earlier this month following the national team's shocking playoff defeat to Bosnia and Herzegovina. "The ball is now in Malago’s court," Simonelli stated, indicating that the candidate must now formalize his platform. Malago is expected to meet with top-flight clubs soon to outline his vision, with the official FIGC election set for June 22.
Malago, 67, brings a formidable resume from the broader sports world, having served as president of the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) from 2013 to 2025 and leading the successful bid for the 2026 Winter Games. However, his path to the FIGC presidency is not guaranteed. While he has Serie A's backing, the league's clubs hold only 18% of the electoral votes, compared to the 34% controlled by Italy's powerful amateur football authorities.
The task awaiting the next FIGC president is monumental. The federation is in a state of flux following the World Cup qualifying disaster, which also saw the resignations of coach Gennaro Gattuso and team manager Gianluigi Buffon. Beyond appointing a new national team manager, the president must drive long-demanded internal reforms and oversee Italy's preparations for co-hosting UEFA Euro 2032 with Turkey.
That last duty presents a significant challenge. UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin recently warned that Italy's aging stadiums—which he called "some of the worst in Europe"—could jeopardize their hosting rights. Thus, the new FIGC chief must not only heal the wounds of the past but also build a modern foundation for Italian football's future, making this one of the most critical leadership transitions in the federation's history.