Football

Figc elections: after Serie A, players and coaches side with Malagò

The components that support the former Coni number one already have preferences close to 50 per cent and may soon be joined by Serie B and C clubs

by Marco Bellinazzo

30 April 2026

(COMBO) L'ex presidente del CONI Giovanni Malago' (S) e il presidente della Lega Nazionale Dilettanti Giancarlo Abete (D), 2 aprile 2026. ANSA ANSA

2' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

2' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

In the midst of thereferee scandal, with Var supervisor Andrea Gervasoni being heard by the Milan Prosecutor's Office, Thursday 30 April marks a turning point that could be definitive in the race for the presidency of the Figc.

If the vote remains scheduled for 22 June, the line-up in favour of Giovanni Malagò indicated by the Serie A League (which has 18% of the votes) is enriched by the endorsement of the Footballers' and Coaches' Associations, which express 20 and 10% of the preferences respectively. Malagò is already close to the 50%+one needed to become the number one of the Federcalcio in place of the resigning Gabriele Gravina.

'Footballers and coaches have reached a shared orientation by identifying in Malagò the person capable of responding to the many challenges of the present and especially the future,' the two components AIC and Aiac wrote in a joint statement to Ansa.

Malagò welcomed with 'satisfaction' the support of AIC and Aiac. "I thank them for their trust, which makes me even more responsible," he told ANSA, postponing the final decision on the presentation of his candidature until next week, after meeting the other leagues.

On 6 May he will see the Lega di Serie B (which has 6%) and on the 8th the Lega di Serie C (which has 12%). Malagò counts on having the full support of the former and a very large slice of the latter.

Awaiting the choice of Lega B and Lega Pro, Aic and Aiac's yes to Malagò is linked to the 'important convergences on the main programmatic points', including the choice of a footballer for the presidency of Club Italia or in a ds position, responsible for the technical area. Aic and Aiac, in their endorsment to Malagò, also talked about 'sustainability and reforms', starting with the reform of the professional championships. The 18-18-40 formula does not square the circle between the leagues, Aic and Aiac will propose to act on the admission and repechage criteria, as was done in the reduction of Serie C from 90 to 60 teams. As for the recipe of Serie A, the main promoter of Malagò's candidature, it was set out by its president Ezio Maria Simonelli, heard by the Chamber's Culture Commission: "Serie A and politics must be on the same side. Football is asking the government for targeted interventions, such as the introduction of 'mechanisms that make it as neutral as possible for clubs to buy on the domestic market, compared to foreign leagues', neutralising VAT.

The shadows of commissionership are thus receding. Even before the election turnaround, Senate President Ignazio La Russa had said he was convinced, after speaking with Minister Abodi, that the government had no intention of making a 'knee-jerk intervention in football'.

Giancarlo Abete, for his part, has decided to go ahead and present his candidature, even though at the moment he can only officially count on 34% of the Lega Nazionale Dilettanti, which he chairs.