In a major show of unity, Italy's football landscape is rallying behind Giovanni Malagò as the next president of the Italian Football Federation (FIGC). The player and coaching associations have officially joined Serie A in backing Malagò, who previously led the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics organizing committee and served as head of the Italian Olympic Committee (CONI) from 2013 to 2025.

"Players and coaches share a common vision," read a joint statement from the Italian Footballers' Association (AIC) and the Italian Coaches' Association (AIAC). "We believe Giovanni Malagò is the right person to tackle the many challenges ahead—both now and in the future."

At 67, Malagò is the clear frontrunner to succeed Gabriele Gravina, who resigned in April after Italy's men's national team failed to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup, losing to Bosnia-Herzegovina in the playoffs. The fallout was swift: legendary midfielder Gennaro Gattuso stepped down as coach, and iconic goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon left his role as team general manager.

The only other candidate is former FIGC president Giancarlo Abete, with nominations closing on May 13. With Serie A, the AIC, and the AIAC in his corner, Malagò already commands 48% of the votes ahead of the election scheduled for June 22.

Serie A hailed the unified support as "a significant sign of unity and responsibility at a moment when Italian football needs vision, stability, and renewal." Notably, Italy's amateur football authorities—who control 34% of the votes—have yet to publicly endorse either candidate.

Whoever takes the helm faces an immediate to-do list: appoint a new national team coach, push through long-awaited reforms within the FIGC, and oversee Italy's portion of Euro 2032, co-hosted with Turkey. The stakes are high—UEFA chief Aleksander Čeferin recently warned that Italy could lose hosting rights due to the poor condition of its stadiums, which he described as "some of the worst in Europe."

For fans and followers of Italian football, this election marks a pivotal moment. The next FIGC president won't just shape the national team's future—they'll also influence the infrastructure and identity of the sport in Italy for years to come.